India, Pakistan exchange lists of prisoners, fishermen under Consular Pact

India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen lodged in each other’s custody through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, in accordance with the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access signed in 2008.

Under the agreement, both countries exchange these lists twice every year—on January 1 and July 1—as part of confidence-building measures aimed at facilitating consular access and expediting the release and repatriation of detainees.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India shared the names of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani nationals or are believed to be Pakistani. Pakistan, in turn, provided lists of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen in its custody who are Indian nationals or are believed to be Indian.

The Government of India reiterated its call for the early release and repatriation of all Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, along with their boats, as well as missing Indian defence personnel believed to be in Pakistan’s custody.

New Delhi urged Islamabad to expedite the release of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have completed their sentences. It also sought immediate consular access for 13 civil prisoners believed to be Indian nationals who have not yet been granted such access by Pakistan.

India further called upon Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian prisoners until their release and repatriation.

The MEA highlighted that sustained diplomatic efforts have led to the repatriation of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners from Pakistan since 2014. Of these, 500 fishermen and 20 civil prisoners have been repatriated since 2023.

The biannual exchange of prisoners’ lists remains one of the few structured mechanisms of engagement that continues between the two neighbouring countries despite strained bilateral relations.