Islamabad and New Delhi on Tuesday handed over to each other a list of nuclear installations and facilities in both the countries under an Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities signed on December 31, 1988.
According to a Foreign Office statement, the list of nuclear installations and facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Likewise, under Article II of the instrument, Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi also handed over the list of Indian nuclear installations and facilities to a representative of the Pakistan High Commission.
It is worth mentioning that the agreement contains the provision that both countries inform each other of their nuclear installations and facilities on January 1 every year and information sharing practice is infield since January 1, 1992. Meanwhile, under the ‘Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, Islamabad handed over a list of 537 Indian prisoners (54 civil + 483 fishermen) in Pakistan to the High Commission of India in Islamabad.
According to the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan, the step is consistent with the provisions of the agreement signed on 21 May 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, January 1 and July 1, respectively. The Indian government will also share the list of Pakistani prisoners with Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
Published in Daily Times, January 2nd 2019
