India has called on Pakistan to speed up the release and return of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have finished their jail terms, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Wednesday. Thanks to ongoing government efforts, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 civil prisoners have been sent back from Pakistan since 2014, the MEA noted. This total includes 500 fishermen and 20 civil prisoners repatriated since 2023. India has also given Pakistan a list of 386 Pakistani civil prisoners and 53 fishermen held in Indian custody. The 2008 Agreement on Consular Access requires both countries to exchange such lists each year on January 1 and July 1.
