Delhi gives Islamabad list of Pakistani prisoners

Islamabad, Sept 2: India has handed over to the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi a list of 386 Pakistanis detained in Indian jails.

However, according to the record of Pakistani prisoners maintained by the Pakistan foreign ministry as well as well as by the high commission in New Delhi, NGOs, and relatives of prisoners, there are 485 Pakistanis in Indian jails, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Monday quoted an official of the foreign ministry as telling the senate standing committee on narcotics control and interior.

According to the report, the Pakistan high commission has taken up the matter with the Indian authorities to clarify the discrepancy, the official said.

He said 30 Pakistani prisoners have completed their sentences but Indian authorities have not yet released them.

The Pakistani mission is consistently taking up the issue with relevant Indian authorities to secure the release of those 30 Pakistani prisoners.

To a question, he said presently there are 79,012 Pakistani prisoners in various jails of different countries all over the world and the ministry was providing them legal assistance according to the law of the land.

IANS