F.P Report
ISLAMABAD: On Friday, Pakistan and India exchanged the list of their nuclear installations and facilities. This activity was conducted under Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities.
Pakistan officially handed over the list to a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the other hand the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi handed over the list of Indian nuclear installations and facilities to a representative of the Pakistan High Commission.
While peeking into the background of the matter, the agreement was signed between Pakistan and India on December 31, 1988. This agreement between the arch rivals contains the provision that both countries should inform each other of their nuclear installations and facilities on 1st January every year.
This practice has been done sequentially since 1st January 1992.
Other than this, the nuclear power neighbors also shared list of their nationals in each other’s’ jails. According to the data provided by both countris it was revealed that there are 319 Indian prisoners in Pakistan and 340 Pakistani prisoners in India.
The exchange of prisoners list is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India signed on 21 May 2008. According to this agreement both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on 1st January and 1st July, respectively.
While commenting on the matter, The Foreign Office of Pakistan stated that “The Government of Pakistan, today, shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 319 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, including 49 civilians and 270 fishermen prisoners’.
The Indian Government also concurrently shared the list of 340 Pakistani prisoners in India, it included that around 263 civilians and 77 fishermen with High Commission for Pakistan New Delhi.
