Pakistan to release 17 Indian prisoners on June 23

[Creder]

The Hindu : News / International : Pakistan to release 17 Indian prisoners on June 23


Pakistan will release 17 Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture on June 23, official sources said on Monday.

The prisoners will be released through the Wagah land border ahead of the meeting between Foreign Secretaries of the two countries on June 24, the source told PTI.

Further details about prisoners to be released could not immediately be ascertained.

Humanitarian issues, including prisoners being held in jails in India and Pakistan, are expected to figure in the talks between the two sides on June 24.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will hold talks with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir to find ways to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries and prepare ground for meeting of Foreign Ministers on July 15.

 

[Durran3]

alot of the prisoners on both sides are nothing more than innocent farmers who crossed the border by mistake

 

[leo1476]

Yes, they are just pawns used for negotiating with the other side. So sad that many are just kids or poor farmers who stray into the other side. For years they are held in jails without any trial.

 

[azfar]

and in return how much coffins we are getting?

 

[niaz]

Majority of the prisoners are either fishermen who cross into other country’s waters (there are no defined lines on the sea) or kids living near the border that stray across the no man’ land by mistake. Some over stay their visa duration. Majority have no malevolent indentations at all.

Least Pakistan and India can do is to release all such cases after a brief interrogation

 

[sab]

and in return how much coffins we are getting?

One is assured by Special Court recently. But that needs stamps from High Court and Suprem Court. So you can wait. Others will go walking on their feet with packet of sweets. BTW did you accept nine coffins in end of 2008????