Pakistan releases 20 Indian fishermen from jail after 4 years; to be handed over on Nov 15

Pakistan authorities on Sunday released 20 Indian fishermen from Lahore's Landhi district jail after completing their four-year prison terms for alleged fishing illegally in territorial waters. They will be handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border on November 15, a senior prison official said.

Landhi jail Superintendent Irshad Shah said the fishermen, mostly belonging to Gujarat, were released as a 'goodwill gesture' after Indian authorities confirmed their nationalities. "They had served four years in jail and have been released today as a goodwill gesture by our government," Shah said.

This comes despite the recent incident where Pakistan Maritime Security Force opened fire at Indian fishermen off Dwarka coast last week, killing one person and injuring another. 

The Edhi Trust Foundation, a non-profit social welfare organization, made arrangements to transport the 20 released fishermen to the Wagah border in Lahore from where they will be handed over to the Indian authorities on Monday.

The officer said there were 588 more Indian nationals, the majority of them fishermen, who are still languishing in Landhi jail. "We release them once we get approval from the Sindh Home Department as we got yesterday to release these 20 Indian fishermen," he added.

The fishermen were arrested by the Pakistan Maritime Security Force (PMSF) and handed over to the dock police for allegedly fishing illegally in Pakistani waters. Due to the absence of a clear demarcation line in the coastal area of the Arabian Sea between the two countries, these fishermen who did not possess the modern-day navigation equipment mistakenly cross the red lines and end up in Pakistani jails.

Pakistan Maritime Forces Attack Indian Fishing Boats

Last week, the Pakistan Maritime Security personnel had shockingly opened fire on two Indian fishing boats near the International maritime boundary line (IMBL). The attack took place off the coast of Okha in Devbhoomi Dwarka district of Gujarat in which one fisherman lost his life while another suffered injured. Pakistani personnel opened fire on a boat that had seven fishermen.

It is believed that the remaining six fishermen from the Indian fishing boat Jalpari have also been captured by the forces. The fisherman who was killed has been identified as Shridhar Ramesh Tambe of Thane, Maharashtra. An FIR has been registered in the matter and charges have been pressed against 10 unknown persons, who were present in the two boats of Pakistan forces that opened fire at the Indian fishermen.

(With inputs from agency)

Image: PTI/AP