India, Pak agreement to give consular access to prisoners

Sat, May 17 03:15 AM

At a time when long detention of prisoners is becoming a sensitive issue between India and Pakistan, New Delhi and Islamabad are set to sign an agreement next week when External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukhrjee visits Pakistan on granting consular access to prisoners on both sides within a specified time frame. In the works for the past four years, the agreement is expected to reduce chances of mistaken identity and will provide immediate legal aid to the detainee. More importantly, sources said, it will help avoid embarrassing situations of both countries discovering the nationality of prisoners well after their sentence is over.

The agreement, which will be signed between Mukherjee and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureishi, is a step towards bringing in more transparency and understanding between the neighbours on this sensitive issue that often has domestic political implications.

It is learnt that New Delhi and Islamabad have agreed on the text of the agreement just days before Mukherjee's visit. While the detainee will be tried as per domestic law in the country concerned, the agreement will help ensure fair treatment and no physical harm.

As of now, sources said, there are an estimated 700 Indian nationals in Pakistan jails, and about 200 Pakistani nationals in Indian prisons.

The move behind this agreement began in 2004, shortly after both governments restarted the process of Composite Dialogue, fourth of which will be reviewed in the upcoming meeting.

Apart from this agreement, the Foreign ministers' meeting - which will be preceded by a meeting of the foreign secretaries on May 20 - will have terrorism high on its agenda. The issue will be discussed, since both countries have been victims of terrorist attacks.

The long pending agreement to liberalise the existing visa regime is still caught in the red tape. However, sources indicated that Islamabad has given its consent for issuing visas for "group tourism" to religious destinations. The issue over here is the revision of the 1974 protocol on religious sites in both countries. Currently, there are only five sites each in respective countries. India is keen to increase this number and apply the liberalised visa regime to this amended protocol.

Besides this, key issues such as the Kashmir issue, Siachen and military CBMs will come up for detailed deliberations given that a new democratically elected Government is now in place in Islamabad. Moreover, the talks are happening after a delay of nearly five month, largely due to the transition process in Pakistan.

The one issue on which both sides have come closer to a final settlement is Sir Creek.

RECOMMEND THIS STORY