ISLAMABAD - India on Friday released 09 Pakistani prisoners (4 civil prisoners and 05 fishermen), a statement issued by Foreign Office said.
Earlier, India released 37 Pakistani Prisoners (5 civil & 32 fishermen) on May 30, 2014. Currently, 477 Pakistani prisoners (346 civil and 131 fishermen) remain lodged in Indian jails. Out of these, 22 civil prisoners have completed sentence and await repatriation.
On May 26, as a goodwill gesture, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had directed that 151 Indian prisoners (01 civil and 150 fishermen) be released. Presently, 296 Indian nationals are detained in Pakistan, which include 47 civil and 249 fishermen.
Pakistan has always held that the issue of prisoners in the respective countries is a humanitarian one and should be taken in that spirit. Pakistan hopes that the government of India would release all Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences.