The Media Line: Pakistan and India Take the First Step in High-Level Contact Since Last May’s Clash, Exchanging Prisoners and Nuclear Lists 

Pakistan and India Take the First Step in High-Level Contact Since Last May’s Clash, Exchanging Prisoners and Nuclear Lists 

By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line Staff 

[ISLAMABAD] The governments of Pakistan and India exchanged lists of nuclear installations and prisoners held in each other’s custody on Thursday, in accordance with bilateral treaties, according to their foreign ministries.  

“The Government of Pakistan handed over a list of 257 Indian prisoners, including 58 civilians and 199 fishermen held in Pakistan, to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said during a weekly press briefing.  

He added that the Indian government was also sharing a list of Pakistani prisoners in its custody with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.  

Andrabi said Pakistan also exchanged a list of its nuclear installations and facilities with a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Foreign Office on Thursday.  

“I understand the Indian government is also sharing a list of its nuclear installations with our High Commission in New Delhi today,” he added.  

Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release that it exchanged a list of 391 civilian prisoners and 33 fishermen in its custody who are “Pakistani or believed to be Pakistani.”  

India’s MEA later confirmed on its website that New Delhi had provided Pakistan with a list of its nuclear installations, in accordance with their bilateral treaty.  

The development came a day after Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka, marking the first high-level interaction between officials of the two countries since May.  

The two senior officials met while other regional leaders were in Dhaka for the funeral of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.  

The exchange occurs during a period of tension between India and Pakistan after a four-day military clash in May 2025.  

The conflict, which erupted along the Line of Control in the disputed region of Kashmir, resulted in significant casualties on both sides and further deteriorated an already fragile relationship.  

High-level engagement between officials of both countries remains mostly suspended as tensions persist.  

Diplomatic channels are limited, and the border region continues to be heavily militarized, with frequent exchanges of fire and reports of civilian casualties.  

Economic cooperation has also suffered, with trade and investment between the two nations significantly reduced.  

The underlying issues fueling the conflict, including the status of Kashmir, cross-border terrorism, and water disputes, remain unresolved, casting a long shadow over any prospects for lasting peace and stability in the region.