India, Pakistan exchange lists of prisoners, nuclear facilities as part of agreement

India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged the lists of prisoners and fishermen lodged in jails of the two countries simultaneously as part of a bilateral agreement.

"India and Pakistan today exchanged, simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody. This is in keeping with provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged on 1st January and 1st July, every year," an official statement said.

"India handed over lists of 267 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 99 fishermen to Pakistan, who are in India's custody. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 55 civilian prisoners and 227 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed-to-be Indians," it read.

India has called for early release and repatriation of the prisoners, missing defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats from Pakistan's custody. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 14 believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and 100 Indian fishermen who are in Pakistan's custody, the statement said.

"The government has also sought Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan; to orgse early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan, and to orgse early visit of the 4-member team to Karachi in connection with release and repatriation of 22 Indian fishing boats," added the statement.

Earlier in the day, the two countries also exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities under another bilateral agreement.

The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between India and Pakistan, signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides, inter alia, that the two countries should inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on January 1 of every calendar year.

This is the twenty-ninth consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992, the ministry said.

( With inputs from ANI )