India, Pakistan exchange list of prisoners

NEW DELHI, July 1 (Xinhua) -- India and Pakistan Saturday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners in each other's jails, officials said.

The exchange was carried out through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, India's foreign ministry officials said.

"India has shared lists of 343 civilian prisoners and 74 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed to be Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 42 civilian prisoners and 266 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed to be Indian," reads a statement issued by India's foreign ministry.

According to India's foreign ministry, the exchange was done in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and July 1.

According to official estimates, 2,559 Indian fishermen and 63 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014.