In a bi-annual exchange mandated by the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, India and Pakistan have shared lists of prisoners held in each other's custody. This agreement requires both countries to exchange the lists of prisoners in their custody on January 1st and July 1st of every year.
The Pakistani government handed over a list of 246 Indian prisoners, including 53 civilian prisoners and 193 fishermen, to a representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Simultaneously, the Indian government shared a list of 463 Pakistani prisoners with a diplomat from the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi, which included 382 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen.
Pakistan has called for the immediate release and repatriation of Pakistani prisoners and fishermen who have completed their sentences and whose national status has been confirmed. They have also requested special consular access for prisoners believed to be Pakistani, including those with physical and mental challenges, to expedite the confirmation of their national status. The Indian side has been urged to provide consular access to all prisoners still awaiting it and to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all Pakistani prisoners in Indian custody.
The exchange of prisoner lists is a routine practice between India and Pakistan, but it carries significant humanitarian weight. Many of these prisoners, particularly fishermen, often find themselves detained for inadvertently crossing maritime borders. The slow legal procedures and administrative delays often result in prolonged detentions, even after sentences have been completed.
Shafqat Ali Khan, a Foreign Office spokesperson, has emphasized Pakistan's commitment to protecting the rights of its citizens abroad, and has stated that these regular prisoner exchanges are a vital humanitarian step. He also noted that improved mechanisms for quicker verification and repatriation could reduce long-standing tensions, and that cooperation in such matters could lead to more peaceful engagement in other areas.
