LAHORE, Dec 24: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday welcomed the withdrawal of cases by India against 51 Pakistani prisoners at a time of tensions between the two countries.

In a statement, the commission said: “The decision by India to drop cases against 51 Pakistani prisoners in Jodhpur prison and the order to release them can only be welcomed. The gesture is even more appreciable than usual since it comes at a time when sanity is at a heavy discount on both sides and jingoism and war hysteria is being whipped up.

The 51 people charged with visa irregularities have already suffered enough for their mistakes. The HRCP urges the governments of India and Pakistan not to defer cooperation in such cases of humanitarian nature. Extending goodwill to each country’s prisoners in the other’s jails could be critical to promoting peaceful bilateral relations.

Both countries must also take urgent steps to ensure that the travel agents responsible for furnishing improper or tampered visas to visitors between the two countries are brought to justice and the illegal practice stopped.” —Staff Reporter