Indian team on prisoners release to reach Pakistan Monday

Four former Indian judges would reach Pakistan Monday ahead of visiting jails there to examine the condition of Indian civilian prisoners. They, along with a four-member Pakistani team, would also recommend the release of prisoners, a team member said. The Indian team, including senior apex court counsel and former chief justice of Patna High Court Nagendra Rai, would go to Pakistans central jails in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore during its five-day visit. Besides Justice Nagendra Rai other former judges in the team are Justice Amarjeet Choudhary, Justice A.S. Gill and Justice M.A. Khan. The Indian team is a part of the eight-member Indo-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee for the release of civilian prisoners. The committee was formed in January 2007. The four Pakistani members of the panel are Justice Abdul Qadeer Chaudhary, Justice Fazal Karim, Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid and Justice Mian Muhammad Ajmal. According to sources, both India and Pakistan are yet to fulfill their earlier commitment to release prisoners who have completed their sentences. By April, India released 39 and Pakistan 89 prisoners while they agreed to release much more prisoners.

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