Routine confidence-building measures continue amid fragile bilateral ties
Pakistan and India on Thursday carried out key annual confidence-building measures by exchanging lists of nuclear installations and prisoners, reaffirming the continuation of established diplomatic mechanisms despite strained relations.
According to official sources, both sides exchanged details of their nuclear facilities simultaneously in Islamabad and New Delhi under a long-standing bilateral agreement aimed at preventing attacks on nuclear installations. The coordinated exchange highlights procedural compliance between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In addition, the two countries also shared updated lists of prisoners held in each other’s custody under the 2008 Consular Access Agreement. As per the agreement, Pakistan and India exchange prisoner details twice a year — on January 1 and July 1 — to facilitate consular access and address humanitarian concerns of detained nationals.
The development comes a day after a rare diplomatic engagement following the May conflict between the two countries. Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly, briefly met Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, in Dhaka.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of the funeral of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, marking the first face-to-face contact between senior leaders of Pakistan and India since the recent escalation.
While the exchanges are routine, analysts view them as important confidence-building steps that help keep diplomatic channels functional during periods of heightened tension.
