India asks Pakistan for early repatriation of 159 prisoners, fishermen

India and Pakistan exchanged updated prisoner lists; MEA urges Islamabad to release 159 Indians who completed sentence and provide consular access to others

India and Pakistan on Tuesday exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody. India has shared names of 382 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed-to-be Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared names of 53 civilian prisoners and 193 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed-to-be Indian, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

 

Under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on 1 January and 1 July. India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody. Pakistan has been asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 159 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners who have completed their sentence. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 26 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody, who are believed-to-be Indian and have not been provided consular access so far, the MEA said. Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India, it said.

 

 

"India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country. In this context, India has urged Pakistan to expedite the nationality verification process of 80 believed-to-be Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen in India’s custody, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation from Pakistan," the MEA said. 

 

The ministry said that as a result of sustained efforts by New Delhi, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. This includes 500 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 till date.