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3 min readNew DelhiJul 2, 2026 03:01 AM IST
Under the provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan in 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and on July 1.
India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have completed their sentences, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
“As a result of sustained efforts by the government of India, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014,” the MEA said.
These include 500 fishermen and 20 civil prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023, it said.
India has also shared with Pakistan a list of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen, believed to be Pakistani nationals, in its custody. Under the provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan in 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and on July 1.
“India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody,” the Ministry said.
Under the framework, Pakistan has also shared a list of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen, believed to be Indian nationals, in its custody.
Delhi has consistently called for the early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan’s custody, it said.
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“Pakistan has been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentences. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 13 civil prisoners in Pakistan’s custody, who are believed to be Indian and have not been provided consular access so far,” the MEA said.
Additionally, the Indian government has urged Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indians and believed to be Indian prisoners, pending their release and repatriation to India.
According to Pakistan’s statement, Islamabad handed over to the Indian High Commission a list of 250 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, comprising 52 civilian prisoners and 198 fishermen. It also urged India to release and repatriate 97 Pakistani prisoners – 64 civilians and 33 fishermen – who have completed their sentences and whose nationality has been confirmed.
Meanwhile, India has termed as “deeply distressing” the demolition of a 125-year-old gurdwara in Pakistan’s Farooqabad. “We have seen the deeply distressing reports regarding the demolition of the historic 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan. We strongly condemn this highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine,” the MEA said. India called upon the government of Pakistan to “expeditiously investigate” this matter and “bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice”.
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