India to release 152 Pak prisoners in exchange deal

Continuing with the consolidation of the Indo-Pak Confidence Building Measures, India today announced release of 152 Pakistani nationals on September 12 which include 51 fishermen besides providing consular access to other prisoners lodged in various jails of the country.

A Home Ministry spokesman said today that those Pakistani civilian prisoners who had completed their sentences and whose travel documents had been issued by the Pakistan High Commission would be released from Wagah border.

Out of the 101 Pakistani civilians to be freed, 20 would be released from Rajasthan prisons, 10 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, six from West Bengal, 31 from Jammu and Kashmir, one each from Nagaland and Maharashtra and two from Delhi.

A decision on releasing civilian prisoners, who had completed their terms and whose documentation were completed, by India and Pakistan had been taken at the Home-Secretary level talks between the two countries held here on August 29-30.

The spokesman said Pakistan Government had also informed that it would be releasing 371 Indian fishermen and 64 Indian civilians, who are lodged in different jails of Pakistan, on September 12.

As many as 51 Pakistani fishermen would be released also on September 12. They were arrested while fishing in Indian waters, he said, adding only those fishermen would be released who had been issued travel documents by the Pakistan High Commission after verifying their nationality.

India also announced dates for providing Consular Access for Pakistani prisoners lodged in various jails of the country.