Islamabad, May 17: The much awaited release of 20 Indian prisoners by Pakistan today was delayed by a day due to logistical problems in transporting the prisoners from their respective jails in Baluchistan to Wagah Border point in Punjab. Indian High Commission officials here said that the Pakistan government has informed them that the prisoners would be released at Wagah at 0930 IST tomorrow.
Apprehending delay in bringing the prisoners from Mach and Quetta prisons by train to Lahore today well before the border point was closed by 1600 hrs, the Pakistan government decided to keep them in Lahore today and hand them over tomorrow morning.
The 20 prisoners, include 14 crew members of the stranded Indian boat `Raj Lakshmi` and six Sikhs who were apprehended for allegedly crossing into Pakistan from Iran without valid documents.
As part of confidence building measures, Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had announced early this month that the country would release 22 Sikh youths, 14 crew members of Raj Lakshmi along with around 300 Indian fishermen.
However, only six of the 22 Sikh prisoners would be released tomorrow as they have been identified as Indian nationals by New Delhi.
The rest of the Sikh prisoners and fishermen would be released after completion of the identification process which was initiated by the Indian High Commission officials here. Bureau Report