Under a bilateral arrangement that prohibits them from attacking each other’s nuclear installations, Pakistan and India carried out the annual practice of exchanging information concerning nuclear installations on Friday.

According to a statement, the exchange was conducted in accordance with Article-II of the Agreement between Pakistan and India prohibiting attacks on nuclear facilities and installations, signed on December 31, 1988.

It said that “the list of nuclear installations and facilities in Pakistan was officially handed over to a representative of the Indian High Commission at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, at 1100 hrs (PST).” "The Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi handed over the list of Indian Nuclear installations and facilities to a representative of the Pakistan High Commission at 1130 hrs (IST)," it added.

“India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities,” the MEA said in a statement.

Under the agreement, both countries must notify one another of their nuclear facilities and installations on January 1 of each year. Despite ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, this exchange of information has been carried out consistently since January 1, 1992, according to the FO.

India in its list said 263 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 77 fishermen were in its custody. Similarly, Pakistan shared lists of 49 civilian prisoners and 270 fishermen, who are Indians or believed-to-be Indians, in Islamabad’s custody, one of the Indian statements said. “This is in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on 1^st January and 1^st July,” the Indian statement cited above said.

As a result of the Pulwama terror attack launched by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, India’s war planes downed a terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019.

The tensions between the two countries intensified after New Delhi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two Union Territories, in abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution.

As a result of the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian high commissioner.

According to India, the abrogation of Article 370 is its own “internal subject” and restrictions in Kashmir Valley were imposed to prevent further mischief by Pakistan’s proxies and terrorists.

Image source: Wion news