ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday handed over a list of 261 Indian prisoners - 52 civil and 209 fishermen – detained in Pakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad.

This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 2008, under

which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on 1st January and 1st July, respectively, said a foreign ministry statement.

“The Indian government will also share the list of Pakistani prisoners with Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi,” the statement added.

Over the weekend, India had proposed to hold talks with Pakistani officials on Kartarpur Corridor between July 11 and 14 on the Pakistani side of Wagah Border to take the project further, with the aim of completing it by November ahead of the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

According to the plan proposed by India, both sides will discuss a draft agreement pertaining to issues related to the project’s infrastructure and alignment and the facilitating the movement of Sikh yatrees (pilgrims).

261 Indians are in Pakistani prisons

This year, experts from the two countries jointly surveyed the coordinates of Kartarpur Corridor Zero Point and discussed the technical details, including Finished Road Level, High Flood level and others.  The two sides agreed on some technical aspects and expressed hope to finalize the other modalities at the earliest.

Pakistan and India are expected to set up facilitation centres and check posts on their own sides. Officials said the permit issued by Pakistan will be only for the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and if the Sikh pilgrims wished to travel elsewhere, they would need a visa. Pakistan and India will also discuss the duration of Sikh pilgrims stay on the Pakistani side.

The corridor will give Indian pilgrims easy access to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river, in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years.

Thousands of Sikhs visit the shrine in Pakistan every year. Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is located in the Narowal district.

It is built on the historic site where Guru Nanak settled and assembled a Sikh community after his missionary travels. The present Gurdwara is built on the site where Guru Nanak died on September 22, 1539.