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NEW DELHI: Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that 641 Indians, including 436 fishermen, were languishing in Pakistani jails.
He told the Rajya Sabha that the lists of prisoners the two countries had exchanged on March 31 were being checked. A final list would be presented to the judicial committee (consisting of Indian and Pakistani judges) scheduled to meet next month in Islamabad for review and further decisions, he added.
He said the absence of consular access was making it difficult to determine the exact number of prisoners and the details of their sentences.
Mukherjee said 74 missing defence personnel, including 54 since 1971, were believed to be in Pakistani jails.
India expects the Government of Pakistan to implement the recommendations of the judicial committee to release and provide consular access to all detained fishermen and prisoners, the minister said.
He said there were 13 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody for allegedly smuggling narcotics or for transporting Sri Lankan refugees.
While it is important for our fishermen to respect the International Maritime Boundary Line, especially keeping in mind the ongoing operations in Sri Lanka, we have impressed on the Sri Lankan Navy to act with restraint and for our fishermen to be treated in a humane manner, he said.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
He told the Rajya Sabha that the lists of prisoners the two countries had exchanged on March 31 were being checked. A final list would be presented to the judicial committee (consisting of Indian and Pakistani judges) scheduled to meet next month in Islamabad for review and further decisions, he added.
He said the absence of consular access was making it difficult to determine the exact number of prisoners and the details of their sentences.
Mukherjee said 74 missing defence personnel, including 54 since 1971, were believed to be in Pakistani jails.
India expects the Government of Pakistan to implement the recommendations of the judicial committee to release and provide consular access to all detained fishermen and prisoners, the minister said.
He said there were 13 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody for allegedly smuggling narcotics or for transporting Sri Lankan refugees.
While it is important for our fishermen to respect the International Maritime Boundary Line, especially keeping in mind the ongoing operations in Sri Lanka, we have impressed on the Sri Lankan Navy to act with restraint and for our fishermen to be treated in a humane manner, he said.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
