AMN /
Government has said a total of 445 Indians, most of them fishermen, are currently lodged in jails in Pakistan. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said, 392 Indian fishermen and 53 other Indian civilian prisoners are currently lodged in Pakistan’s custody. He said, the government regularly takes up the issue of their early release and repatriation with Islamabad.
The Minister said, in addition, 74 missing defence personnel, including 54 prisoners of war, are believed to be in Pakistani jails since 1971. He also said, a total of 1262 Indian fishermen were arrested in foreign waters in 2015.