India on Saturday said it had asked Pakistan to convene a meeting of the judicial committee of the two countries to discuss humanitarian issues pertaining to prisoners and fishermen but was still awaiting a response.
“India had requested Pakistan in January this year, and again during the talks between Foreign Secretaries last month, to convey dates for the next meeting of India-Pakistan Judicial Committee, which is to be held in Pakistan,” said a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
It said that India had made the proposal so that these humanitarian issues were addressed expeditiously.
“Pakistan’s response is still awaited,” the statement said.
The Committee is tasked with investigating the situation of civilians imprisoned in the jails of the other nation and to obtain and facilitate their release, especially that of fishermen imprisoned for straying across territorial waters.
After a meeting of the Committee in India, Pakistan had released 100 Indian fishermen in December last year.
“There are more than 550 Indian fishermen and 400 Indian fishing boats in Pakistan’s custody, besides 220 Indian prisoners,” the statement said.
The remarks came in the wake of reports on unresolved humanitarian issues between the two countries in a section of Pakistan media.
