*NEW DELHI:* Pakistan and India are currently discussing a proposal by thelatter to allow a team of over 20 doctors to visit Pakistan to examinementally unsound, women, children and elderly prisoners. These Indianprisoners have been awaiting repatriation since the two countries arrivedat an understanding earlier this month for their release, reported *Timesof India.link>*
Both countries are in touch over the issue of visas for the doctors butdiplomatic sources here said Pakistan may not give visa to such a largenumber of doctors and medical experts.
It is important for the Indian government to get the mentally unsoundprisoners examined by doctors to facilitate their repatriation to India.
The agreement arrived at over the humanitarian issue of prisoners was aproduct of a meeting between foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and PakistanHigh Commissioner Sohail Mahmood in October 2017. Swaraj had proposed inthe meeting that the two sides look to resolve humanitarian issues relatedto elderly, women, children and mentally unsound prisoners.
India noted in a statement on March 7, days before the diplomat harassmentissue made it to the front page of leading dailies in both countries, thatPakistan had responded “positively’’ to Swaraj’s suggestion.
The initiative on prisoners was seen as the first real sign of thaw untilit became clear a few days later that Pakistan and India were locked in abitter exchange over alleged intimidation of diplomats. Pakistan says thatits diplomats and other staff faced harassment on 18 occasions betweenMarch 7 and March 9.