Pakistan, India exchange lists of nuclear assets, inmates

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan and neighboring India exchanged lists of their nuclear facilities on Sunday as part of a 1988 pact that bars them from attacking each other’s nuclear installations, according to official statements from both sides.

Pakistan and India have had strained relations since their independence from colonial British rule in 1947 over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

They have fought three wars, built up their armies and developed nuclear weapons. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974, with Pakistan carrying out its first test in 1988.

The lists were simultaneously handed over through their respective diplomats in Islamabad and New Delhi.

India and Pakistan also exchanged lists of prisoners in each other’s custody as part of an agreement dating back to 2008.

Pakistan shared a list of 705 detained Indians, 51 civilians and 654 fishermen. India shared a list of 434 Pakistanis in its custody, 339 civilians and 95 fishermen.

India and Pakistan arrest each other’s fishermen for crossing the unmarked sea frontier between them. Their maritime security agencies seize the boats and jail the fishermen, who are usually only released after the two countries hold negotiations. Normally they spend years behind bars with no formal trial.

The 2008 agreement gives each side consular access to prisoners and requires them to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody each January and July.

Pakistan separately also sought consular access to its missing defense personnel from wars in 1965 and 1971 and special consular access to another 56 civilian prisoners.

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Associated Press writer Ashok Sharma contributed from New Delhi.

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