NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan exchanged a list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between both the countries on Wednesday. The agreement was signed on December 31, 1988 and came into force on January 27, 1991. It provides for the two countries to inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on January 1 every year. This is the 29th such exchange. The list was exchanged through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad.
The bilateral agreement prohibits the two countries from attacking each others’ atomic facilities. The neighbours also exchanged lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody. India also appealed for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats from Pakistan’s custody. Under the Agreement on Consular Access, the two countries exchange the list of civilian prisoners and fishermen on January 1 and July 1 every year. The two countries exchanged the lists through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad. While India handed over lists of 267 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 99 fishermen to Pakistan who are in India’s custody, Pakistan shared lists of 55 civilian prisoners and 227 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed-to-be Indians, according to an MEA statement. India asked Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of four civilian prisoners and 126 fishermen whose nationality has been confirmed to be Indians.
In addition to this, India has also asked Pakistan to provide immediate consular access to 14 believed-to-be Indian civilian prisoners and 100 Indian fishermen who are currently in Pakistan’s custody. “India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other’s country,” a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.
India has urged Pakistan to expedite action at its end to confirm the status of the nationality of 82 prisoners, including fishermen, who are believed to be from Pakistan, according to the statement. Their repatriation is pending because Pakistan has not yet confirmed their nationality, it added.