403 Indians lodged in Pakistani jails

Pakistan on Wednesday informed India that there were 403 Indians, including 355 fishermen, in its jails as the two countries exchanged the list of civilians lodged in each other's prisons.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said in a statement that the two countries exchanged lists of prisoners as part of a bilateral agreement. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over a list of 403 Indian prisoners (48 civil + 355 fishermen) in Pakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad on Wednesday," the spokesman said.

"A similar list of 278 Pakistani prisoners (251 civil + 27 fishermen) lodged in Indian jails was also handed over to the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi," he said. According to the Agreement on Consular Access signed on 21 May 2008, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, respectively.

The exchange of lists despite recent tension between the two countries shows that the two sides are fulfilling their bilateral obligations agreed in different times, the spokesman said. 

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