Islamabad: Pakistan is to release 16 Indian Sikh illegal immigrants in a goodwill gesture aimed at bolstering the peace process between the countries, the Foreign Ministry said on September 5.

"The release of Sikh youths is part of the peace package announced by Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali on May 6 to improve relations with India," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The Indians, who will be released on September 8, were held for crossing into Pakistan without legal documents.

Following Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's April 18 offer of a "hand of friendship" to Pakistan, Jamali had announced several confidence-building measures in May.

On September 4, Pakistan released 269 Indian fishermen who had been languishing in jail for a year as a goodwill gesture.

Agencies