ISLAMABAD: The governments of Pakistan and India on Tuesday exchanged lists of prisoners lodged in each other’s respective prisons.
Lists are exchanged under the Consular Agreement signed between the two countries in May 2008. Lists of prisoners are to be exchanged twice a year, on January 1 and July 1 respectively.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said consistent with the provisions of this agreement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over a list of 296 Indian prisoners in Pakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad today.
According to the list of Indian prisoners, there are currently 47 common citizens, 237 fishermen and 12 youthful offenders languishing in Pakistani jails.
The spokesperson confirmed that a similar list of Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails was also handed over to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
According to the list provided by the Indian government there are 380 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, including 116 fishermen and 264 common citizens.
However spokesman for Pakistan High commission New Delhi Manzoor Ali Memon told Dawn.com that there are 487 Pakistani's in Indian jails adding that this is the official record which the government of Pakistan maintains.
