Signs of thaw as India, Pak agree to release prisoners

NEW DELHI: In the first signs of a thaw between India and Pakistan, the neighbours have agreed to release and return elderly prisoners, women and those with special needs.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the Pakistan foreign office said they had accepted Indian proposals also on the revival of a judicial committee mechanism which would oversee the speedy release of prisoners.

Both countries also agreed to facilitate “visits of medical experts (from both sides) to meet and examine the mentally challenged prisoners for their repatriation.”

A spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs said, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had suggested to the high commissioner of Pakistan “that the two sides could progress on humanitarian issues related to elderly, women, children and mentally unsound prisoners. We note that today Pakistan has responded positively to EAM’s suggestion…”

Coming after months of frosty relations between the two sides, exacerbated by ceasefire violations on the line of control (LOC), Wednesday’s decisions framed a rare moment when India and Pakistan agreed on anything.

Pakistan foreign minister, Khawaja Asif, also offered to extend the parameters for prisoner release: those above 60 years of age and below 18 years would also be released. It is likely that these would be accepted by the Indian side. The Pakistan statement said, “The foreign minister expressed the hope that India would positively reciprocate Pakistan’s proposals, in the spirit that they have been made.”

India added that the judicial committee, which “looks into the issues of fishermen and prisoners in each other’s custody” would resume visits to each other’s countries. “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.”

Along with the statement, Pakistan tagged its wish for a resumption of official dialogue which has been shut since the Pathankot terror attack. The Pakistan foreign office said, “it was his (foreign minister) desire that through such initiatives, Pakistan and India would embark on the road to a comprehensive dialogue, and make a conscious effort to de-escalate the extremely vitiated current environment and the situation on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.”