New Delhi: India and Pakistan on Thursday (January 1) exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations
and Facilities between both countries. It is the 34th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.
The agreement in this regard was signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991.
Both nations also shared lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody. It is the first time that both countries shared these lists after a brief military conflict in May last year.
The lists of prisoners were exchanged under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access, 2008, through diplomatic channels. As per the External Affairs Ministry (EAM), India shared lists with details of 391 civil prisoners and 33 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists with details of 58 civil prisoners and 199 fishermen in its custody who are Indian or believed-to-be-Indian.
"The Government of India has 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 also been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 167 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have completed their sentence," the EAM said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Pakistan was also asked to provide immediate consular access to 35 civil prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan's custody who are believed-to-be-Indian and have not been provided consular access so far.
"The Government of India has asked the Government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India," the ministry stated.
As per the External Affairs Ministry, since 2014, a total of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan.
Notably, in May this year, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (Pok). The military operation was carried out to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
