India releases Pakistani civilian prisoners

Wagah (Punjab), May 28 (ANI): India released 25 Pakistani civil prisoners on Friday, and handed them over to Pakistani officials at the Wagah border in Punjab.

The released Pakistanis were imprisoned in various jails in Sangrur, New Delhi, Agra, Jodhpur, Allahabad and Jammu and Kashmir.

The prisoners were happy and eager to go home after eight years.

"I am a resident of independent (Pakistan-administered) Kashmir. Our land is near Line of Control. I got injured there and Indian Army captured me. I got one year imprisonment and now after eight long years," said Daaud Ahmed, a released prisoner.

Another prisoner, Sajid Ali, however, said both India and Pakistan should release innocent people from the prisons as early as possible.

"I am happy for sure about the release, but think about when we will meet our parents and family. How are they going to react? There are so many prisoners suffering imprisonment for the past 17 years in Jodhpur. I want the government to learn a lesson of humanity from this," said Ali.

"If a person is innocent, he should be released soon. If some innocent person is imprisoned in Pakistan, Indians should not wait for the Pakistan government to release them until they release the innocent prisoners here," he added.

Last year on December 29, Pakistan released over 100 Indian fishermen, and in return, India released 31 Pakistani fishermen on January 2, 2010.

The Pakistan-India Judicial Committee on Prisoners was formed in January 2007 to facilitate release of prisoners languishing in jails in either country. (ANI)