As reported by TOI on Friday, the defence ministry decided to pull out of the event at the last moment despite the government earlier having acquired visas for Coast Guard officers. However, as official sources here said, India will continue to have a more flexible position on humanitarian issues. Swaraj, in fact, has generated a lot of international goodwill for India by facilitating medical treatment for Pakistan nationals despite MEA having earlier made it mandatory for those seeking help to get an endorsement from the Pakistan foreign minister.On the issue of prisoners, India has decided to work on the basis of reciprocity. Even in June this year, days after PM Narendra Modi 's meeting with his then counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the margins of SCO in Astana, India had released 11 prisoners as a goodwill gesture.India expects Pakistan too to keep releasing Indian prisoners who have served their jail term. While releasing the prisoners though, India is likely to again request Pakistan to grant full and early consular access to the Indian nationals in Pakistan's custody, including Hamid Nehal Ansari and Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Source: Times of India October 28, 2017 22:41 UTC