Islamabad, 2 January 2024 (TDI): The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, reported that as a diplomatic practice between India and Pakistan, both countries exchanged two lists through respective diplomatic channels today.
As per practice Pakistan, and India exchange two lists, list of prisoners in each other’s custody and the list of nuclear installations and facilities as per Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks Against Nuclear installations and Facilities.
List of nuclear installations and facilities
The Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India, inter alia, provides that both countries shall inform each other of their nuclear installations and facilities, falling within its definition, on 1st January of each calendar year.
The Agreement was signed on 31st December 1988, the Agreement entered into force on 27th January 1991. The two countries have been exchanging lists since 1st January 1992.
Pursuant to Article-II of the Agreement, the list of nuclear installations and facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commision at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan in Islamabad.
Simultaneously, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also handed over the list of India’s nuclear installations and facilities to a representative of the Pakistan High Commision in New Delhi.
Lists of prisoners
The simultaneous exchange of lists of prisoner details took place in pursuance of the Consular Access Agreement of 2008. Under the agreement, both countries are required to exchange the lists of prisoners in each other’s custody every six months, on 1st January and 1st July, every year.
The Government of Pakistan handed over a list of 231 Indian prisoners in custody to a representative of the High Commission of India in Islamabad. The prisoner in custody includes 47 civilians and 184 fishermen.
Similarly, the Government of India shared the list of 418 Pakistani prisoners in Indian custody to an officer of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. According to the list the prisoners in Indian custody amount for 337 civilians and 81 fishermen.
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The Government of Pakistan urged the Indian Government to release and repatriate all those Pakistani civilian prisoners and fishermen, who have completed their respective sentence and whose national status stands confirmed.
Additionally, a request for the grant of consular access to missing defense personnel of 1965 and 1971 wars, and a special consular access to 77 civil prisoners has also been made, as confirmed by the foreign ministry Pakistan.
