Pakistan and India Exchange Prisoner Lists

Pakistan and India exchanged lists of nuclear installations and prisoners on January 1, 2024, continuing a long-standing bilateral practice of diplomatic transparency. The exchange took place simultaneously in Islamabad and New Delhi through official diplomatic channels, adhering to the terms of a 1988 bilateral agreement on the prohibition of attacks against each other’s nuclear facilities.

Nuclear Facility Transparency

The governments of Pakistan and India provided one another with lists of nuclear facilities and installations covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities. Signed on December 31, 1988, and ratified in January 1991, the agreement mandates that both nations inform each other of their nuclear sites on the first day of every calendar year. This marks the 33rd consecutive year the two countries have exchanged these lists, a process that has remained unbroken despite periods of heightened regional tension.

Status of Detained Citizens

In a parallel diplomatic action, both nations exchanged lists of prisoners currently held in each other’s custody. This exchange is governed by the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, which requires both countries to provide details on civilian prisoners and fishermen currently detained in the other’s territory.

According to a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the list provided to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad included 43 civilian prisoners and 211 fishermen of Indian nationality. Conversely, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs handed over a list of 343 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 74 fishermen currently held in Indian jails.

Diplomatic Context and Next Steps

The exchange of prisoner lists serves as a mechanism for both countries to track the status of individuals who have crossed maritime or land borders, often inadvertently. While the annual exchange of nuclear facility lists is a routine protocol aimed at preventing accidental strikes, the prisoner lists highlight a persistent humanitarian issue in bilateral relations.

The administrative procedure does not resolve the underlying legal disputes regarding the detainees. Both governments maintain that the status of these individuals remains subject to ongoing consular verification and judicial processes. No further meetings or high-level dialogues regarding the release of these detainees have been scheduled at this time.