ISLAMABAD - India was denying consular access to 197 prisoners which is violation of Agreement on Consular Access signed between Pakistan and India in May 2008, High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At present 469 Pakistani prisoners are languishing in Indian jails which include 164 fishermen and 305 civil prisoners.
According to documents available with the APP, Pakistan High Commission in its report informed that out of total, 197 Pakistani prisoners have not been provided consular access by India despite several requests.
According to the Agreement on Consular Access signed between Pakistan and India in May 2008, consular access has to be provided within 90 days of arrest of either country’s prisoners but the agreement was not followed by the Indian side, said the documents.
30 Pakistani prisoners have completed their sentence and their national status as Pakistani has been confirmed. The Indians, however, are not repatriating them, the documents revealed. Talking to APP, an official of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi was in contact with Indian authorities for early release of those 30 Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentence and their national status as Pakistani has been confirmed.
To a question he said that Pakistan has also raised the issue of consular access within 90 days with India as per the Agreement between Pakistan and India.