Friday, July 21 2006 16:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan today (July 21, 2006) said India's decision to put off Foreign Secretary-level talks in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes has not affected plans by the two countries to release prisoners.

Indian officials here said both countries have so far agreed upon dates to provide consular access to various categories of prisoners to determine their national status.

"Barring the consular access, there is no agreed schedule to put off the release," an Indian official said.

Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said consular access had been granted for July 18 for Indian prisoners in Lahore and July 25 and 25 to Indian fishermen jailed in Karachi.

"There is no change in that and I am not aware of any other developments in this regard," she said.

Her reaction comes in the wake of media reports that strains caused by the postponement of Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks after the Mumbai blasts impacted the plans by the two countries to release prisoners.

Indian officials have already visited 25 prisoners languishing in the Lahore prison, most of whom were stated to be mentally ill.

The officials would go to Karachi on July 25 to determine the national status of 192 Indian fishermen.

The decision to release about 500 prisoners from each side in the next two or three months was taken during the Home Secretary-level talks between the two countries recently.