The two countries said that they were working on setting up a mechanism for the release of fishermen who inadvertently cross the maritime boundary, as part of measures to expedite the release of all prisoners.
India and Pakistan have announced that they were working on setting up a mechanism for the release of fishermen who inadvertently cross the maritime boundary between the two countries as part of measures to expedite the release of all prisoners.
In keeping with a decision made at a meeting of the Home and Interior Secretaries in New Delhi last month, India's Coast Guard and Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency will work on setting up the mechanism for "release of inadvertent crossers (fishermen) and their boats on the same lines as the inadvertent crossers on land," said a joint statement issued at the conclusion of a visit to Pakistan by Indian members of the judicial committee on Prisoners.
The two coastal security agencies will submit their report on this matter to the Home and Interior Secretaries before the next round of talks between the two officials, the statement said late yesterday.
An Indian official familiar with discussions held during the Judicial Committee's visit told PTI that the two sides were considering a proposal whereby first time offenders would be freed at sea without any lengthy legal procedures.
The Coast Guard and MSA would work out modalities for this proposal, said the official who did not want to be named.
The official further said that top Pakistani officials and leaders who had meet the Indian members of the Judicial Committee had showed a "genuine desire" to ensure the speedy release of all prisoners.
"All the meetings were very good and there was a sense that things are moving in the right direction," the official said.
The Indian members of the Judicial Committee" retired Justices Nagendra Rai, Amarjeet Chaudhary, AS Gill and MA Khan ?" visited jails in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi where Indian nationals are being held.
There were a total of 260 Indian fishermen at the Malir Jail and a juvenile detention centre in Karachi and over 230 other Indian nationals at two prisons in Lahore and Rawalpindi, the Indian official said.
The judicial committee was, by and large, satisfied with the condition and treatment of the Indian prisoners.
During the visit, the two sides shared lists of Indian prisoners and fishermen, the joint statement said.
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