29 prisoners including 26 fishermen released from Pakistan

Twenty six Indian fishermen and three others were today set free from jails by Pakistani authorities in a goodwill gesture.

The freed prisoners were handed over to authorities at the joint check post at Attari-Wagah border, officials said.

India also released seven Pakistani prisoners who were handed over to the concerned authorities today, they said.

Among the prisoners released by Pakistan was Gajanand Sharma who was missing from Jaipur since 1982.

Sharma's family was unaware of his whereabouts until they were informed by the Pakistan embassy few months back, officials said. In Sharma's absence, his wife worked as a domestic help to look after their children, they said.

All released prisoners crossed over to India on the basis of an 'Emergency Travel Certificate' issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

After the repatriation, medical examination of all prisoners was conducted by a team of doctors.

On crossing over to the Indian side, the prisoners bowed down and kissed the soil. Many had their eyes moist while some looked relieved.

Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained on charges of illegal fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats used by them lack the technology to avoid being drifted away.