M A I N   N E W S

Pak to free 60 Punjabi youths on March 21
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 18
Five hundred and twenty-nine fishermen belonging to Gujarat — along with 60 Punjabi youngsters — will soon be released from different jails in Pakistan. Disclosing this at a function organised by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee this afternoon, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh added that Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf had also issued release orders of another 83 Indians.

The cases of 120 Indians lodged in Pakistani jails were also being actively processed. This, the Chief Minister added, was in addition to 21 Indian prisoners who had crossed the border along with him on Thursday.

He said Pakistan’s gesture would go a long way in fostering the spirit of friendship, mutual understanding and harmony in the region, especially in the wake of on-going confidence-building exercise. As far as Pakistani prisoners in jails in Punjab here were concerned, the Chief Minister asserted that he had already asked the state Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police to process their cases. He added that as many as 77 Pakistanis were lodged in different jails in the state, including five juveniles in Faridkot jail.

Terming his visit to Pakistan as a “very successful one”, he said, “There is a lot of hope in the ongoing peace process. The increase in people-to-people contact will only strengthen the bonds.”

Regarding trade talks with Pakistan, he said the delegates had fruitful meetings. Favouring the opening of Wagah route for “free trade”, he said bilateral talks were going on and they were hopeful of a positive response.

Meanwhile, a Punjab Government spokesman said Pakistan had formally communicated to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad that 589 prisoners would be released and repatriated to India via Wagah border on March 21.

Quoting a communication faxed by the Union Ministry of External Affairs to the Punjab Government, he said civilian prisoners and fishermen would be handed over to Punjab Government officials by the immigration authorities at Attari on the Indian side.

Giving details of the Council of Ministers meeting held earlier during the day, the spokesman said a resolution was unanimously adopted to appreciate the Chief Minister’s efforts in securing the release of Indians from Pakistani jails.