ISLAMABAD: India on Saturday expressed its readiness to cooperate with Pakistan for the welfare of nationals of the two countries languishing in each other’s jails as it renewed its demand for consular access to convicted spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and another Indian national, Hamid Nehal Ansari.

This desire for working together on humanitarian issues was expressed by New Delhi while exchanging with Islamabad the lists of nationals of each country in the jails of the other side in accordance with the 2008 bilateral Agreement on Consular Access. Both sides, as per the accord, share the lists twice a year on Jan 1 and July 1.

“India remains committed to addressing on priority all humanitarian matters with Pakistan, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Lists of prisoners exchanged

Last year also India had called for cooperation on humanitarian matters.

However, the progress on these issues is being impeded because of tense relations between the two countries with the release of civilian prisoners and fishermen taking longer periods even after they have completed their sentences.

A joint judicial commission for addressing the issues of fishermen and other prisoners has been inactive since October 2013, when the Pakistani officials of the commission visited Indian jails.

The Indian statement referred to these problems in the release of the prisoners by noting: “In this context, we await from Pakistan confirmation of nationality of those in India’s custody who are otherwise eligible for release and repatriation.”

India called on Pakistan government for “early release and repatriation of Indian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats whose nationality has been confirmed by India”.

Pakistan was also asked “to grant full and early consular access” to Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari.

Ansari illegally entered Pakistan from Afghanistan in search of the girl with whom he had been having an online affair, according to reports.

India has petitioned the International Court of Justice for consular access to Jadhav, the Research and Analysis Wing agent who has been convicted and sentenced to death by a military tribunal on charges of espionage and terrorism. The ICJ has stayed Jadhav’s execution pending its final verdict in the case.

Prisoner stats

Pakistan is holding a total of 546 Indian prisoners, according to figures provided by the Foreign Office.

The Indian prisoners include 52 civilians and 494 fishermen. Seventy eight of the prisoners would be released on July 10, the FO said. All except one of the to-be released prisoners are fishermen.

Earlier on Jan 6 Pakistan had released 219 Indian prisoners.

India did not publicly share the number of Pakistani nationals languishing in its jails.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2017