Geelani hails release of prisoners by India, Pak

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani Wednesday hailed the goodwill gesture by India and Pakistan to release prisoners from their respective jails and called for use of such measures as permanent feature of relations between the two countries.

Thirteen Pakistani nationals, including four fishermen, were repatriated to Pakistan on Tuesday through the Attari-Wagah border.

Last month, Pakistan released 55 Indian fishermen and five civilians as a "goodwill gesture".

"The mutual well-wishing (steps) in the month of holy Ramadhan should be a permanent feature of the bilateral relations of the two countries," Geelani said in a statement.

The separatist leader hoped that as important parties to the Kashmir dispute, "India and Pakistan should use these gestures to release all the prisoners belonging to Jammu and Kashmir, languishing in Indian jails".

The Hurriyat leader reiterated his stand that Kashmir is "purely political and humanitarian problem" which is in dire need of an early resolution for a prosperous South Asia.