Stage set for Indo-Pak prisoners exchange

tags:Politics

New Delhi:-The stage is set for another high in bilateral peace process when India and Pakistan exchange nearly 500 civilian prisoners, who have completed their sentences, at the Wagah border today.

Pakistani prisoners were brought here from different Indian jails in the states to be handed over to Pakistani authorities today.

India agreed to release 152 Pakistani prisoners while Pakistan agreed to set free 435 jailed Indian prisoners which includes 371 fishermen following Home Secretary level talks between the two countries held in Delhi on August 29th and 30th.

Among the 152 Pakistani prisoners, 101 were fishermen who were caught while fishing in Indian waters.

So far, 96 prisoners from Rajasthan, Gujarat and various parts of Punjab reached Central Jail in Amritsar where they spent their last night on Indian soil.

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.

Among the two released from Delhi, one Pakistani national was set free from Lampur Leperosy house owned by Delhi Social Welfare Department.

The Central Jail of Amritsar has turned into a virtual make-shift camp where Jail superintendent Captain S P Singh was busy with his prison register entering names of Pakistani prisoners arriving here from different states.

"I have the orders to accept any prisoner at any time of the night even," said Singh.

The 152 Indian prisoners also comprise 42 people who were either deaf or dumb.

Initially, Pakistan Government had refused to give them travel documents but later agreed after India had decided to keep these handicapped prisoners at a rehabilitation centre and not in jails.

Some extra staff of immigration had been deputed at the Wagah border for speedy clearance of prisoners which is expected to begin anytime after 0900 hours, the time at which the gates are opened at Wagah.