Pakistan actively been taking up with India the issue of release of its prisoners languishing in their jails: Qureshi.

ISLAMABAD -- Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Pakistan has actively been taking up with India the issue of release of its prisoners languishing in their jails.

Responding to the calling attention notice of Attaullah and others in the National Assembly, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it is a humanitarian issue. He, however, regretted that India's intention is to escalate the matters with Pakistan. He pointed out that India tried to escalate the situation following Pulwama incident, despite the fact that Pakistan had no connection with it and this has been recognized by the world as well. He said Pakistan's strategy has remained to defuse the tension with India through goodwill gesture such as the release of Indian pilot as well as their 360 fishermen.

Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas told the House 585 Pakistani prisoners including 210 fishermen are languishing in the Indian Jails. She said that India will release four Pakistani fishermen on Tuesday next.

The House held discussion on 'The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 aimed at increasing the number of tribal districts' seats in the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Initiating the debate, Mohsin Dawar said appropriate representation should be given to the tribal districts both in the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. He appreciated both the treasury and opposition benches for demonstrating consensus on the matters of tribal districts.

Khawaja Mohammad Asif reminded that the people of tribal districts have suffered immensely as a result of war on terrorism. He said the Federal and Provincial governments should allocate maximum resources for the rehabilitation of tribal districts. He said it is a historic occasion that a consensus constitutional amendment has been brought to give representation to these districts in the National and KPK assemblies. He said it is not a favour to them but their right that has been long overdue. He said this bill is giving a message to the tribal people that the entire Pakistani nation stands...