Asif approves exchange of 'special' Pakistani, Indian civilian prisoners

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday approved humanitarian gestures for civilian prisoners incarcerated in both India and his country.

In a statement, the spokesperson of the Pakistan Foreign Office said, "Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has approved exchange of three categories of prisoners: women, mentally challenged or with special needs and those above 70 years of age."

It added that the Asif also approved exchange of prisoners above 60 years of age and child prisoners, below 18 years of age.

Asif also approved facilitating the visit of medical experts (from both India and Pakistan) to meet and examine the mentally challenged prisoners for their repatriation.

The statement informed that the humanitarian proposals were made by India.

Pakistan has also approved revival of the Judicial Committee mechanism between New Delhi and Islamabad, the statement said.

The spokesperson said that Foreign Minister Asif expressed the hope that India would positively reciprocate Pakistan's proposals, in the spirit that they have been made.

The statement further quoted Asif, as saying that it was his desire that through such initiatives, Pakistan and India would embark on the road to a comprehensive dialogue, and make a conscious effort to de-escalate the extremely vitiated current environment and the situation on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.