Government has said the India-Pakistan relationship has become sluggish but it has no impact on bilateral arrangements, including on exchange of fishermen and prisoners caught on either side.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen. V K Singh said that the mechanisms have been put in place to ensure release of fishermen caught by either side. He said, an India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners was constituted in 2008 to look into humanitarian aspects of the matter.
The committee was also to recommend measures to ensure humane treatment and expeditious release of fishermen and prisoners, who have completed their prison term.
The Minister informed that there are 516 fishermen who are Indian or believed to be Indian nationals are currently in the custody of Pakistani authorities. He said India regularly takes up with the Pakistan the matter of early release and repatriation of all Indian civil prisoners and fishermen who have completed their sentences.