Despite heightened tension between the two countries, India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged through diplomatic channels the lists of nuclear installations and facilities and prisoners in each other’s custody.
The lists of nuclear facilities were exchanged simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad as provided under the agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations between the two nations.
The agreement, which was signed on 31 December 1988, and entered into force on 27 January 1991, provides, inter alia, that the two countries inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on 1 January every calendar year. This is the 29th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place in 1992.
The two countries also exchanged the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody. This was in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged on 1 January and 1 July, every year.
The External Affairs Ministry said New Delhi handed over to Islamabad the list of 267 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 99 fishermen who are in India’s custody. Similarly, Pakistan shared the list of 55 civilian prisoners and 227 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed-to-be Indians.
New Delhi called for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats from Pakistan’s custody. In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of four Indian civilian prisoners and 126 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan. In addition, Pakistan was asked to provide immediate consular access to 14 believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and 100 Indian fishermen who are in Pakistan’s custody.
India also asked Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan; to organise early visit of the joint judicial committee to Pakistan, and to organise early visit of a four-member team to Karachi in connection with release and repatriation of 22 Indian fishing boats.