India Frees Jailed PakistanisThe Indian Government says Wednesday it will free more than 400 Pakistani civilians held in various of its prisons, as a goodwill gesture before a summit meeting next week.An Indian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the move reflected Delhi's "positive approach" towards Islamabad. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf will begin the three-day summit in Delhi on 14 July. Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan released an Indian cyclist, Vikas Singh, who was jailed for three years after entering the country from Afghanistan without a visa. The Indian spokeswoman, Nirupama Rao, said the prisoners included 229 Pakistani civilians held for violating Indian visa laws and more than 200 fishermen who had strayed into Indian waters. She said there were over 600 Indian civilians currently held in Pakistani jails. Mr Vajpayee has also instructed the coastguard in future to turn back rather than arrest Pakistani fishermen who cross inadvertently into Indian territory, Ms Rao said. Other measures included the elimination of tariffs on 50 product lines of Pakistani imports to India, and the introduction of 20 scholarships for Pakistanis to study in Indian technical institutes. |
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