NEW DELHI, January 1. /TASS/. India and Pakistan have exchanged the lists of their nuclear facilities and prisoners in each other's custody, the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels, simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installation and Facilities between India and Pakistan," the statement reads.
The agreement, which was signed in 1988 and entered into force in 1991, obliges India and Pakistan to inform each other of their nuclear facilities in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on those sites. This is seen as one of the most important measures aimed at maintaining regional security.
According to the Indian Foreign Ministry, New Delhi and Islamabad have also exchanged "the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody."
"India has shared the names of 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed to be Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared names of 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed to be Indian," the statement notes. "The Government of India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody," the ministry stated.
India and Pakistan often arrest each other’s nationals, particularly fishermen, for crossing the unmarked border.