India on Wednesday urged Pakistan to expedite the discharge and repatriation of 183 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners in view of completion of their jail phrases.
As well as, Pakistan has been requested to offer quick consular entry to the 18 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan’s custody, who’re believed to be Indian, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) stated.
India made the request within the context of the trade of lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen by each the nations as a part of a follow to take action on January 1 and July 1 each calendar 12 months below the framework of a 2008 pact.
India has shared names of 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who’re Pakistani or are believed-to-be-Pakistani.
Equally, Pakistan has shared names of 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen in its custody, who’re Indian or are believed-to-be-Indian, in accordance with the MEA.
“The federal government of India has referred to as for early launch and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen together with their boats, and lacking Indian defence personnel from Pakistan’s custody,” it stated.
“Pakistan has been requested to expedite the discharge and repatriation of 183 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners, who’ve accomplished their sentence,” it stated.
“As well as, Pakistan has been requested to offer quick consular entry to the 18 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan’s custody, who’re believed-to-be-Indian and haven’t been supplied consular entry to date,” the MEA stated in a press release.
New Delhi particularly requested Islamabad to make sure the protection, safety and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen, pending their launch and repatriation to India.
The MEA stated India stays dedicated to addressing, on precedence, all humanitarian issues, together with these pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in one another’s nation.
“On this context, India has urged Pakistan to expedite the nationality verification strategy of 76 believed-to-be-Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen in India’s custody, whose repatriation is pending for need of nationality affirmation from Pakistan,” it stated.
The MEA famous that because of sustained efforts by the Authorities, 2,639 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014.
“This contains 478 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners who’ve been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 until date,” it stated.
