News Brief
India Asks Pakistan To Expedite Release Of 183 Indian Prisoners And Fishermen
Eighty Indian fishermen released by Pakistan enter India via the Attari-Wagah border (File Photo) (Screengrab)
India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 183 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners who have completed their sentences, along with their boats.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also called for immediate consular access to 18 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistani custody who are believed to be Indian nationals but have not been provided such access.
The request was made during the biannual exchange of prisoner lists between the two nations, a practice established under a 2008 agreement, which takes place on 1 January and 1 July each year.
“The Government of India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody. Pakistan has been asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 183 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners, who have completed their sentence. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 18 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody, who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far,” the MEA stated.
India has shared details of 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani nationals or presumed to be so.
The MEA highlighted the importance of ensuring the well-being of all Indian and presumed Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody until their return to India.
Additionally, India has asked Pakistan to expedite nationality verification for 76 presumed Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen in Indian custody, whose repatriation is pending confirmation of their nationality.
Since 2014, persistent efforts by the Indian Government have led to the return of 2,639 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners from Pakistan. This includes 478 fishermen and 13 civilian prisoners repatriated in 2023 alone.
