The Hindu : International / India & World : Pakistan, India play tit-for-tat with prisoners

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Sunday, Jul 02, 2006

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International - India & World

Pakistan, India play tit-for-tat with prisoners

Nirupama Subramanian

Indian fishermen not released, as they have to "first serve out their sentence"

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday said that 240 Indian fishermen, who were expected to be released on Friday in a prisoner exchange between the two countries, had not been freed as they had to first serve out their "sentence."

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told media that their confirmation as Indian nationals was not a sufficient condition for release. "They entered our waters deliberately for poaching purposes and have to complete their sentence," Ms. Aslam said.

The prisoner exchange took place under an agreement reached during the May 30-31 Home Secretaries' meeting "that fishermen and civilian prisoners, who have completed their prison sentences and have been granted consular access and whose national status has been verified, would be released by June 30, 2006."

Indian officials say conventionally trespassing fishermen are neither charged nor handed out any sentence, and are in prison for only as long as it takes the Government to have them released from custody.

But Ms. Aslam said fishermen had to serve out a sentence because only that would deter them. She did not specify what the sentence was.

India has 116 civilian prisoners in Pakistani jails and 423 fishermen. While it has not gained consular access to any of the civilian prisoners, it has confirmed 240 of the jailed fishermen as its nationals.

Pakistan has 30 fishermen for whom the Indian Government is yet to grant consular access.

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