LAHORE, June 30: Pakistan and India exchanged 57 civilian prisoners on Friday amid warming ties between the South Asian neighbours, officials said.

Thirty-eight Pakistanis walked through an iron gate at Wagha, one of the few land crossings between Pakistan and India near here, said Interior Ministry official Ghulam Mohammed.

Nineteen Indians were freed from Pakistani prisons and returned home, Mr Mohammed said. Officials said 20 more Indians were also scheduled to be released.

The latest releases came one month after senior officials from both countries agreed in Islamabad to expedite efforts to free each other’s prisoners.

Many of those exchanged on Friday had been held from five to 20 years on various charges, primarily illegal border crossings, Mr Mohammed said. Others were fishermen who had recently been detained after straying into the other country’s territorial waters.

“India is holding 463 Pakistanis, and Pakistan 528 Indians,” Mr Mohammed said.