Prior to their release and handing over to ICRC, the Pakistani authorities verified and confirmed the identities of the eight Pakistani prisoners of war (PoWs) as belonging to the regular armed forces of Pakistan, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters here.

Meanwhile, ICRC in turn handed the PoWs to Pakistani High Commission ``playing its humanitarian role of a neutral intermediary,'' an ICRC press release said.

India had announced on August 13 on the eve of Pakistan's Independence Day that, as a gesture of goodwill, New Delhi was ready to hand over the eight PoWs captured in action on the Indian side of the line of control in Kargil sector.

However, their release was delayed as both countries engaged in a duel ofwords with India accusing Pakistan of creating complications over the soldiers' repatriation by refusing to confirm their identities, and Islamabad charging New Delhi with playing politics.

After the gestures, it was stated that the modalities for the return of the PoWs would be worked out through the ICRC.

The ICRC press release said the Red Cross, which handed over the PoWs to the high commission, had earlier visited them in captivity and got a first hand impression on the condition of detention and the physical and moral integrity of the prisoners.

``The ICRC is happy to note that the concerned governments have been able to adhere to their obligations under the Geneva conventions, and give priority to humanitarian considerations which has made it possible for the eight prisoners to be re-united with their families and dear ones awaiting their return,'' it said.

The PoWs are Naik Inayat Ali of 5 Northern Light Infantry (NLI), sepoys Fazal Aman (24 Sind), Hunar Shah (5 NLI), Mohd Ayaz (4 NLI), SherBaz Khan (5 NLI), Ahmed Khan (33 Frontier Force), Salikh Khan (33 FF) and Ashraf (19 PoK Battalion).

India had ``conveyed, as per normal practice relating to PoWs and as is obligatory under the Geneva conventions that we are ready to hand over the PoWs to the ICRC for their repatriation''.

The PoWs were not in uniform nor did they have on their person the customary identification tags or discs. In spite of this blatant breach of military custom and international convention, India, as a goodwill gesture, had treated them as PoWs and approached the ICRC for their repatriation to Pakistan, the MEA said.

The names and identification as declared by the Pakistani soldiers had been conveyed to Islamabad earlier.