Bodies of two more Pakistanis, including a woman, who died in India while in custody some time back, will be repatriated on Friday, a member of the Pakistan-India Judicial Committee on Prisoners said here on Thursday.
Following the intervention of the delegation, arrangements have also been made to transport the bodies of two Pakistani nationals, including a woman, who died while in custody in India some time back, former judge Nagendra Rai told Indian journalists here, PTI news agency reported.
The bodies will be sent to Pakistan on Friday, Rai said. Thirty-four Indian fishermen, all teenagers, are likely to be released from a Pakistani juvenile facility following the verification of their identities, he said. The fishermen, arrested for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters, are currently being held in the Youthful Offenders' Industrial School or juvenile jail in the port city of Karachi, former judge Nagendra Rai told Indian journalists here.
Rai, the leader of the four Indian members of the Judicial Committee currently visiting Pakistan, said two of the fishermen were only 12 years old when they were arrested. The delegation, which arrived here two days ago, has so far visited jails in Karachi and Rawalpindi.
"One of our primary objectives is the speedy release of fishermen, juveniles and old, ailing and women prisoners. The release of some prisoners may have been held up by lethargy and inaction in both countries and we want to ensure that they can go home at the earliest," Rai said.
Rai and other members of the Indian delegation said they were, by and large, satisfied with conditions and arrangements in the jails they had visited, including Landhi prison in Karachi.
The delegation also met 10 Indian prisoners during its visit to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi Thursday. Official sources said there were a total of 614 Indian nationals in Pakistani prisons, including 412 fishermen. The figure for the fishermen includes the 34 juveniles whom the delegation met in Karachi, the sources said.
There are currently 232 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails. With the recent release of 14 fishermen, there are no more Pakistani fishermen being held in India, sources said. India is also ready to release over 100 Pakistani prisoners as soon as the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi verifies their identity and completes the necessary documentation.