- India
- Jul 03
India, Pakistan exchange list of prisoners
• India and Pakistan exchanged the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody on July 1.
• Under the provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan in 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and on July 1.
• Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or believed-to-be-Indian.
• The government of India has consistently called for early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan’s custody.
• Pakistan has been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentences.
• In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 13 civil prisoners in Pakistan’s custody, who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far.
Agreement between India and Pakistan on Consular Access
• With the objective of humane treatment of nationals of either country arrested, detained or imprisoned in the other country, the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to reciprocal consular facilities.
Key points of the agreement:
• Both governments shall maintain a comprehensive list of the nationals of the other country under its arrest, detention or imprisonment. The lists shall be exchanged on January 1 and July 1 each year.
• Immediate notification of any arrest, detention or imprisonment of any person of the other country shall be provided to the respective High Commission.
• Each government undertakes to expeditiously inform the other of the sentences awarded to the convicted nationals of the other country.
• Each government shall provide consular access within three months to nationals of one country, under arrest, detention or imprisonment in the other country.
• Both governments agree to release and repatriate persons within one month of confirmation of their national status and completion of sentences.
• In case of arrest, detention or sentence made on political or security grounds, each side may examine the case on its merits.
• In special cases, which call for or require compassionate and humanitarian considerations, each side may exercise its discretion subject to its laws and regulations to allow early release and repatriation of persons.