Pakistan releases 20 Indian fishermen upon completion of sentences

Pakistan on Tuesday released 20 Indian fishermen and repatriated them to India via Wagah Border, a statement released by the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The FO added that the prisoners have been released on completion of their sentences.

Read more: Pakistan, India exchange list of prisoners under agreement

The FO said the issue of prisoners is of humanitarian nature and Pakistan expects the government of India to reciprocate the gesture in the same spirit.

At the start of 2022, Pakistan and India had exchanged the list of each other’s nationals held in jails by both countries under the Consular Access Agreement.

The government of Pakistan had shared a list of 628 Indian prisoners including 51 civilians and 577 fishermen with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

Similarly, under the agreement, the Indian government had also shared the list of 355 Pakistani prisoners in India including 282 civilians and 73 fishermen with the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.

Read more: Pakistan welcomes P-5 statement against nuclear war, arms race

In November 2021, Pakistani authorities had released 20 Indian fishermen from Karachi’s Malir jail as a goodwill gesture towards India. The fishermen were arrested for trespassing into Pakistan’s maritime boundaries.