Two Pakistani boys who accidentally crossed the border have now been released from Indian jails, after the efforts made by the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Both Pakistanis Ebad Hasan and Zahid Abbas entered India by mistake in August 2022.

Indian Border Force (BSF) arrested both the boys and put them in jail. Ebad Hassan and Zahid Abbas reached Pakistan via Wagah-Attari border on Friday.

Pakistani prisoners in India

There are 418 Pakistani prisoners in the custody of the Indian government including 337 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen, a Foreign Office statement said.

Pakistan on January 1st handed over a list of 231 Indian prisoners including 184 fishermen and 47 civilians lodged in its jails to the Indian High Commission.

The simultaneous exchange of lists took place as per the Consular Access Agreement of 2008 between India and Pakistan.

The agreement requires both India and Pakistan to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year -- on January 1 and July 1.