President Pervez Musharraf told Amarinder Singh, the visiting chief minister of Punjab, that Pakistan had initiated the process to release Indian civilians and fishermen in Pakistan whose nationality has been confirmed.

"India has so far confirmed the national status of 529 fishermen and 60 civilian prisoners detained in Pakistan," a Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said.

"The Ministry of Interior has today issued the release order concerning these prisoners and they would be handed over to the Indian authorities shortly," it said.

Pakistan and India frequently arrest illegal entrants, including fishermen who trespass in each other's waters, but have agreed prisoner releases as goodwill gestures after relaunching a peace process last year.

News of the release orders comes as New Delhi prepares to host Musharraf for a cricket series between the two countries, which have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and went to the brink of a fourth in 2002.