RTI reply reveals no consistency in govt's figures on PoWs
Sunday, October 26, 2008
New Delhi: Despite New Delhi s tall claims that it was pursuing the cases of Prisoners of Wars (PoWs) in Pakistani jails, different departments of the government have separate figures about Indians languishing in prisons of the neighbouring country, raising questions about the seriousness of the initiative.
The Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs have completely different figures of PoWs which itself raises doubts about the seriousness of the government's initiative to get the long-delayed release of the Indians from the clutches of the Pakistani authorities.
In an RTI reply, the MEA has disclosed that 74 PoWS may be in the Pakistani custody whereas the Ministry of Defence said there could be just 54 PoWs who were taken into the custody during the 1965 and 1971 wars.
"If the government does not have a concrete data, how can they pursue the PoWs cases strongly with their counterparts in Islamabad. The agencies dealing with the issue are not unanimous with the figures," says P Hari Kumar, a Kerala student, who sought the information about the number of PoWs from Army, Navy, Air Force, Ministry of Defence and External Affairs.
Army claimed that a total of six officers, nine JCO's and 240 personnel of other ranks of Army were reported missing in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
"These personnel were later declared missing, presumed dead or confirmed killed. Two officers and 17 personnel of other ranks have been reported missing after 1971. Whether these missing persons are in Pakistani jails or not cannot be confirmed," the RTI reply said.
Source : PTI
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