Pakistan and India on Wednesday exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other's custody, adhering to one of the few functional agreements between the two nuclear-armed neighbours despite a prolonged diplomatic impasse and deep mistrust. The exchange was conducted through diplomatic channels under the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access signed on May 21, 2008, which mandates both countries to share the lists of prisoners on January 1 and July 1 every year.
Details of the Prisoner Lists
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan handed over to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 250 Indian prisoners lodged in Pakistani jails, including 52 civilian prisoners and 198 fishermen. Simultaneously, India shared a list of 439 Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani prisoners in its custody, comprising 386 civilian prisoners and 53 fishermen. The exchange comes at a time when diplomatic engagement between the two countries has virtually ceased, with relations further strained by recurring security tensions and the absence of a formal dialogue process.
Pakistan's Call for Release and Consular Access
Pakistan also urged India to release and repatriate 97 Pakistani prisoners, including 64 civilian prisoners and 33 fishermen, who have completed their sentences and whose nationalities have been confirmed. Islamabad further called on New Delhi to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all Pakistani and believed-to-be-Pakistani prisoners awaiting release and repatriation. The Foreign Office said Pakistan had also sought expeditious consular access to all believed-to-be-Pakistani prisoners to facilitate the early confirmation of their nationality, adding that the government would continue efforts to secure the early return of all Pakistani prisoners.
India's Position and Repatriation Figures
In its statement, India's Ministry of External Affairs renewed its call for the early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen and their boats, as well as missing Indian defence personnel whom New Delhi claims are in Pakistan's custody. India said Pakistan had been urged to expedite the release of 188 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners who had completed their sentences. It also sought immediate consular access to 13 civilian prisoners in Pakistan's custody who are believed to be Indian nationals. New Delhi further asked Islamabad to ensure the safety and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian prisoners pending their release and repatriation. According to the Indian government, a total of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. These figures include 500 Indian fishermen and 20 civilian prisoners who have been released by Pakistan since 2023.
Significance of the Twice-Yearly Exchange
The twice-yearly exchange of prisoners' lists remains one of the few institutional mechanisms that continue to function between the two countries despite the prolonged diplomatic impasse and periodic tensions. This exchange underscores the limited but persistent channels of communication that exist even in the absence of broader diplomatic engagement.
