The Pakistan government has decided to free 101 Indian prisoners, 99 of them fishermen, as part of confidence-building measures between Pakistan and India.

They will be released ahead of a meeting between the interior secretaries of the two countries later this week.

The prisoners had completed their jail terms.

The fishermen had been in jail for two to six years.

Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said 99 Indian fishermen and two other prisoners would be freed before the meeting of Pakistan's interior secretary and India's home secretary in Islamabad on 25th November.

India recently freed 29 Pakistani prisoners who had completed their jail terms.

The talks between two countries will be part of the fifth round of composite dialogue launched by India and Pakistan four years ago.