India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, in accordance with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access.
The agreement mandates that both countries exchange such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, as part of confidence-building measures aimed at facilitating consular access and the repatriation process.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India has shared the details of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani or believed to be Pakistani nationals. In return, Pakistan has provided the details of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen in its custody who are Indian or believed to be Indian nationals.
The Government of India reiterated its call for the early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel believed to be in Pakistan’s custody.
The MEA said India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have completed their sentences. It has also sought immediate consular access to 13 civil prisoners in Pakistan’s custody who are believed to be Indian nationals but have not yet been granted consular access.
India further called upon Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian prisoners until their release and repatriation.
The government highlighted that sustained diplomatic efforts have led to the repatriation of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners from Pakistan since 2014. Of these, 500 Indian fishermen and 20 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated since 2023.
