ISLAMABAD: The post-election bonhomie between Pakistan and India continues to pick momentum. Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso ordered on Friday release of 51 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds and as a gesture of goodwill.

The prisoners have already served their sentences.

Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N chief, has already expressed his desire to proactively work with India to resolve issues and strengthen relations between the two countries. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was among the first few international dignitaries who had called Mr Sharif and congratulated him on winning the elections.

According to an official statement, the decision to release the Indian fishermen was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Prime Minister Khoso and attended by federal Law Minister Ahmer Bilal Sufi, Sindh Chief Minister retired Justice Zahid Qurban Alvi and officials of the ministries of interior, foreign affairs and law and the PM Secretariat.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Sufi explained that it was purely a decision of the caretaker government and had nothing to do with the PML-N chief’s statement about India-Pakistan relations.

“It’s just a coincidence that we have taken this decision at this point and time, and we will be happy if it plays any role in bringing the two countries closer to each other.”

He said the Sindh chief minister had raised the issue and Prime Minister Khoso agreed to resolve it. Justice Alvi was of the opinion that those Indian prisoners who had completed their sentences should be released without any delay. He said the prisoners who had served their sentences would be released on receiving confirmation of their citizenship status by the Indian authorities.

“Verification of their national status is a cumbersome process and the moment we received confirmation of the 51 fishermen, the government decided to release them forthwith,” Mr Sufi said.

The prime minister was informed during the meeting that currently 482 Indians were in Pakistani jails, while 496 Pakistanis were in Indian jails.

The prime minister expressed the hope that the Indian government would reciprocate the gesture.

He directed the foreign ministry to hold talks with the Indian authorities for the release of Pakistani prisoners and return of Indian prisoners.