Islamabad: Pakistan today freed 147 Indian
fishermen who were imprisoned in Karachi eight months ago for
allegedly fishing in its territorial waters, according to a
media report.
Police in Islamabad confirmed that the fishermen were
released in Karachi in a "goodwill gesture". They will be
taken to Lahore and handed over to Indian officials tomorrow
at the Wagah border, a senior police official said.
Their release follows a December announcement by Pakistan
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal that nearly 300
Indian fishermen would be freed in two phases till January 8.
On December 28, Pakistan had released the first batch of 145
Indian fishermen, who were held there on similar charges.
The process for returning the 147 fishermen has been
initiated, as they were set to travel to Lahore this afternoon
on the Allama Iqbal Express from the Karachi Cantonment
railway station, the Dawn reported.
From Lahore, the fishermen will cross the Wagah border
and return home, the report quoted Karachi's Malir jail
officials as saying.
They said the travel expenses of the fishermen were being
borne by the Edhi Foundation, a Pakistan-based not-for-profit
welfare organisation.
"Some 262 Indian fishermen remain imprisoned at Malir
jail still," jail superintendent Hassan Sehto said.
Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained
for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since
the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border
and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being
drifting away.
Owing to prolonged bureaucratic and legal procedures, the
fishermen usually languish in jail for several months.
A number of non-governmental organisations in both India
and Pakistan have raised the issue, pressing their governments
to release arrested fishermen without much delay.
PTI
