Pakistan releases 45 Indian fishermen

Pakistan released 45 Indian fishermen from a prison here on Friday.

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After the release, the prisoners boarded a bus that drove them to Lahore where they will be handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah-Attari land border checkpost.

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The fishermen were released on the orders of caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso.

"As many as 45 fishermen, who have completed their jail term, are now being repatriated to India. Apart from these fishermen many still remain in prison. We are requesting Indian high commission here in Pakistan to provide them counsellor access so that they could also be released," human rights activist and former minister Ansar Burney told reporters.

At present, 482 Indian prisoners are in Pakistani jails whereas 496 Pakistanis are in Indian jails.

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Prime Minister Khoso expressed the hope that New Delhi will reciprocate the gesture and release Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails who have completed their sentence.

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The freed prisoners said they were happy to be released.

Last year Pakistan released 100 fishermen - 55 of them on India's Independence Day-as a goodwill gesture.

The neighbours have a disagreement over their maritime border in the Arabian Sea.