India holds release of Pakistani prisoners after Kulbhushan Jadhav's sentencing

NEW DELHI: India on Monday put on hold the release of around a dozen Pakistani prisoners, scheduled for Wednesday, in a move apparently prompted by the death sentence to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court.

"The time is not right for release of the Pakistani prisoners," a senior officer said when asked the reason for the sudden change in plan.

India and Pakistan have been releasing each other's citizens -- including fishermen, convicts who had completed their sentences, people who had overstayed after expiry of their visa or had inadvertently crossed over -- from time to time as a goodwill gesture.

In March, India had released 39 Pakistani prisoners in a reciprocal gesture after Islamabad freed 218 Indian fishermen in January.

Islamabad had also released Indian soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan who had inadvertently strayed into PoK in January. India later responded by dropping charges against two PoK youth arrested by the NIA for helping terrorists responsible for the Uri attack, and sending them home.