Pak provides list of 403 Indian nationals in its jails

Pakistan today handed over to India a list of 403 Indian nationals, a majority of them fishermen, currently being held in the country's jails.

Pakistan on Thursday handed over to India a list of 403 Indian nationals, a majority of them fishermen, currently being held in the country's jails.

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The list comprises 60 prisoners serving jail terms and 343 fishermen who were arrested for allegedly entering Pakistan's territorial waters, official sources told PTI.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said the list of Indian prisoners in Pakistan was handed over to an officer of the Indian High Commission. "The Indian side assured (it would) hand over its list shortly," he told a briefing.

In accordance with the Agreement on Consular Access between Pakistan and India signed in May last year, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody on January 1 and July 1 every year.

India released 67 Pakistani prisoners from its jails this week. Among them were 58 people arrested for visa forgery. The charges against them were dropped by India as a humanitarian gesture.