V.K. Singh reveals possibility of 74 missing defence personnel in Pak

New Delhi [India], Feb. 9(ANI): In a startling revelation, Minister of State for External Affairs, General V.K. Singh exposed the possibility of 74 missing defence personnel who could be in Pakistan Custody. The presence of the personnel is yet to be officially acknowledged by Pakistan. General Singh on Thursday revealed in Rajya Sabha, that Pakistan Government could be holding over 74 missing defence personnel in its custody and is refusing to confirm the same. Singh also stressed that Pakistan Government has been withholding the information despite the Indian Government raising the issue in front of them on multiple occasions. "A committee of kin of MDP visited jails in Pakistan in 2007 but could not find evidence of their presence. However, government continues to raise this matter with the government there," General Singh said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha He also stated that at present, over 208 individuals - 61 civil prisoners and 147 fishermen, who are Indian or believed to be Indian are in Pakistani jails. "The government regularly takes up with the Government of Pakistan the matter of early release and repatriation of all Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, who have completed their sentences. In the recent past, a total of 438 Indian fishermen were released from Pakistan jails," the minister added. General Singh further throwing light on the condition of Indian inmates in Pakistan said that the High Commission of India in Islamabad regularly provides humanitarian and legal assistance to the prisoners of Indian descent in Pakistan and continually undertakes distribution of daily-use items through Pakistani jail authorities.(ANI)