India announces repatriation of 16 Pakistani prisoners, 9 fishermen

NEW DELHI: India today announced repatriation of 16 Pakistani prisoners, out of which 13 were held in Jammu and Kashmir jails, along with nine fishermen.

The External Affairs Ministry said that following an agreement on release of fishermen during the meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in Ufa last month, cases have been withdrawn against nine Pakistani fishermen, who will be repatriated tomorrow.

"Sixteen Pakistani prisoners, whose nationality has been confirmed by Pakistani authorities, are being repatriated to Pakistan via Attari/Wagah on August 7, 2015," the MEA said in a release here.

As a follow up to the Ufa meeting during which it was agreed by the two sides to release fishermen in each other's custody along with their boats, cases against nine Pakistani fishermen have been withdrawn, their nationality confirmed with the Pakistani authorities, and they will be repatriated to Pakistan via Attari/Wagah on August 8, 2015, it added.

India has gone ahead with the gesture of repatriating Pakistani prisoners amid heightened tension between the two countries following terror strikes originating from Pakistan in various states including Jammu and Kashmir.

On August 2, Pakistan had released 163 Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat.