Four Indian civil prisoners released in Pakistan, crossed over to India today: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced that four Indian civil prisoners were released in Pakistan and have crossed over to India today.

MEA official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, "My important announcement is about the four Indian civil prisoners, namely Suraj Ram, Sohan Lal, Mohammad Maqbool Lone and Abdul Majid, were released in Pakistan and have crossed over to India today."

Further speaking on the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Netherlands and Portugal, Baglay said it would be a commercial cooperation for mutual benefit.

"Whenever there have been attacks on Indians, they have been condemned very strongly by the U.S. Government. One of the agendas of Prime Minister Modi's visit is how to develop economic and commercial cooperation for mutual benefit," Baglay said.

Baglay also gladly added that the ministry is celebrating the completion of 50 years of the passport of 1967.

"I am happy to inform you that the Ministry is celebrating the completion of 50 years of the passport of 1967. It was on June 24, 1967 that the Passport Act came into effect. In this context, the passport 'sewa diwas' and passport office conference are being held here today. Tomorrow, there will be a high level segment of the event which would be between 12 to 2 p.m., it would be graced by the External Affairs Minister and other ministers-in-charge," Baglay added.

On June 12, India released 11 Pakistani prisoners, who had served out their sentences, and repatriated them to Pakistan via the Attari- Wagah border as a goodwill gesture.

On March 1, India released 39 Pakistani prisoners, comprising 21 civil prisoners and 18 fishermen, lodged in jails after Islamabad freed 218 Indian prisoners.

Earlier, India had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a stay on the execution of alleged Indian spy and former Indian Naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who the Pakistan Military Court had accused of being involved in subversive and espionage activities.

The ICJ had given its verdict in India's favour following which the tension between the two neighbouring nations escalated to even higher levels.