India and Pakistan exchanged a list of nationals lodged in the other's jails, on Saturday. The list includes civil captives and fishermen. This is a routine exchange, through diplomatic channels, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement on consular access between India and Pakistan. The agreement was signed on May 21, 2008. It entails that the two countries provide a comprehensive list of nationals in each other's jails, twice a year, on January 1 and July 1.
India made a fresh request for full and early consular access to Indian nationals Hamid Nehal Ansari and Kulbhushan Jadhav, who are currently incarcerated in a Pakistani prison. Ansari is a Mumbai-based engineer who was caught for illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan in 2012, reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online. A Pakistani military court later found him guilty of espionage.
Jadhav, a retired commander of the Indian Navy, was picked up from the Chabahar area in Iran, though Pakistan alleged he was picked up from Balochistan. Jadhav was awarded the death sentence by a military court in Pakistan. India appealed to the International Court of Justice in Hague, and the matter is currently being heard there. Repeated requests for consular access to Jadhav have gone unheeded.
"India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters with Pakistan, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen...." said a release from the Ministry of External Affairs. "India has once again requested for the early release and rapatriation of Indian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats," the statement added.
