Pakistan has responded positively to India's suggestion on prisoners' exchange: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday said that Pakistan responded positively to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's suggestion to work towards the release and repatriation of prisoners.

Pakistan said on Wednesday it has approved India's humanitarian proposals about the exchange of prisoners, issuance of medical visas and revival of a judicial commission, a move apparently aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

"Visit of a team of medical experts would be organised to meet mentally unsound prisoners so as to facilitate their repatriation. It has also been agreed to resume visits of the Joint Judicial Committee which looks into issues of fishermen&prisoners in each other's custody," an MEA statement said.

"The last visit of such a Committee had taken place in October 2013 to India. The officials on both sides would be working on the modalities to implement the understanding reached on these humanitarian issues," it added.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif after consulting with all the stakeholders, earlier in the day approved the humanitarian proposals, which had been received from the Indian side, regarding the civilian prisoners incarcerated in both the countries.

The first proposal is about "exchange of three categories of prisoners, women, mentally challenged or with special needs and those above 70 years of age" and the second is about "revival of the Judicial Committee mechanism."

OneIndia News