The lawyer for an Indian national held prisoner in Pakistan for 27 years on spying charges says his client has been freed.

Awais Sheikh says Pakistani authorities handed over Surjeet Singh to Indian officials at the border crossing on the outskirts of the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday.

The two rival countries periodically organize prisoner releases and exchanges to ease tensions.

Foreign secretaries from both countries are scheduled to meet July 4 in New Delhi.

Pakistani officials earlier announced that another Indian prisoner, who was convicted on terrorism charges, would be released, but then later said it was Singh who would be set free.

Speaking at the border crossing, Singh urged both countries to free prisoners held for petty issues such as inadvertently crossing the border.