Pakistan releases 337 Indian fishermen to ease border tensions

Pakistan on Friday released 337 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture to ease border tensions between the South Asian neighbours, dpa quoted officials as saying. "We have set free 330 fishermen and seven juveniles from our jails," Muzaffar Alam, chief of prisons police in southern Karachi city, told dpa. The fishermen were being taken to the eastern city of Lahore in Punjab province where they would be handed over to the Indian authorities on Saturday. It is the highest number of Indian prisoners Pakistan had released in one go in recent years. A Foreign Ministry official said last Sunday the release of prisoners was to defuse tensions after recent border clashes. On Thursday the Pakistani military accused Indian troops of killing two army officials in firing across their de facto border dividing Himalayan region of Kashmir. Pakistan said three members of the army and two civilians had died so far since the latest round of border tensions started early this month. Cross-border exchanges of fire have been taking place on an almost daily basis for the past two weeks. Data compiled by the ministry says there were 491 Indians in Pakistani jails. "We expect India to reciprocate the gesture," said the official, who did not want to be named. The killings on both sides have cast doubt on the possible resumption of peace talks, which were stalled following skirmishes at the border since January. Officials said they were hopeful that a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh would go ahead as planned. Sharif and Singh are due to meet in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Sharif this week called for a "constructive engagement" with India to ease tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.