By IANS
New Delhi : Ahead of their home secretary-level talks next week, India will release 40 Pakistani prisoners, including 10 fishermen, on Saturday as a confidence-building gesture.
"They will be handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Attari border," the external affairs ministry said in a statement Friday.
India is awaiting nationality confirmation of another 48 fishermen after which they will be repatriated.
"We are committed to early release and repatriation of all those Pakistani nationals who have completed their prison sentence," the ministry said.
India and Pakistan set up in March an eight-member committee of retired judges to ensure humane treatment of prisoners in each other's countries and their expeditious release on completion of sentences.
Presently, 513 Pakistani prisoners are held in Indian jails, including 50 fishermen and 463 civilian detainees.