英语文摘:Pakistan hands over 337 prisoners to India

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Saturday released 337 Indian prisoners, most of them fishermen, as a goodwill gesture, local media reported.

According to the reports, all the freed Indian prisoners had completed their jail terms and were handed over to Indian officials at Wagah border, a crossing between Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore and India's Amritsar.

All the prisoners were released from the country's southern port city of Karachi on Friday.

At least 329 prisoners were freed from Malir Jail while eight minors were released from the Youthful Offenders Home in Landhi Jail of the city.

All the freed prisoners were shifted to Lahore through eight air-conditioned buses.

Earlier in a statement on Thursday, Pakistan's Interior Ministry announced to release 365 Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture, but later it was later renumbered to 337 for unknown reasons.

Pakistan released Indian prisoners at a time when both nuclear rival neighbors are facing a surge in tension due to cross-border firings and shellings that claimed lives on both sides.

Pakistan and India routinely arrest and jail each other's fishermen after they mistakenly violate the other's boundary. There are no maritime boundaries between the two countries and both countries have held a series of talks but no agreement have been finalized yet.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, there are at least 485 Pakistanis jailed in India, including 172 fishermen and 313 other civilians.