Ahmedabad, 18 May 2013

There’s no big deal in Pakistan’s announcement to release 51 Indian fishermen, because this group of 51 fishermen had already completed their jail term. The

The statement issue on Friday by the Pakistan prime minister’s office said that the decision was taken on humanitarian grounds, as a goodwill gesture. However the fact is that the release was to take place any way, as 51 fishermen had completed their jail term.

The real goodwill measure or genuine decision on humanitarian ground would be to accept and implement the suggestions of India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners outlined in its recent report after visiting the Indian prisoners in jails of Pakistan. The report and our remarks can be read here.

The official statement issued by the prime minister’s office said, “Pakistan interim Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso decided to release 51 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds in a goodwill gesture”.

These prisoners have already served their sentences, the office said in a statement.

The prime minister of Pakistan expressed the hope that the Indian government will reciprocate the gesture and release the Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.

The decision was made at a high level meeting attended by Federal Minister for Law, Ahmer Bilal Sufi, Chief Minister Sindh province, Zahid Qurban Alvi and senior officials of the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, law and justice and Prime Minister’s Secretariat.