In yet another provocative incident by Pakistan, its maritime security agency guards attacked Indian fishermen, killed one, allegedly abducted 30 others and took back five boats belonging to the fishermen. The incident occurred off Jakhau coast in the Gulf of Kutch.
Confirming the development, National Fish Workers’ Forum (NFWF) secretary Manish lodhari told The Pioneer that a fisherman Naran Arjan Sosa was killed due to indiscriminate firing by Pakistan Maritime Security
Agency (PMSA) guards on Indian fisherman who were fishing in international waters.lodhari, who is also vice-president of Porbander Fishermen Association, said that five fishermen were onboard the boat Dhanvantari, when the attack occurred. Somehow four of them managed to escape with the boat and return to Porbander on Saturday morning to report the incident.
“The deceased is a resident of a village near Kodinar town of Junagadh district. Of the five abducted boats three are from Porbander and two from Okha town. All 30 kidnapped fishermen are from Gujarat,” he said.
All Indian agencies, including Marine Police, Coast Guard and the Gujarat Government have been informed about the incident, he said adding that NFWF would also appeal to the Central Government to ask Pakistan to put a stop to such incidents in the Gulf of Kutch.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi promptly urged Defense Minister AK Antony and urged him to take necessary action to stop such incidents and initiate the process for the release of all the fishermen kept in various Pakistani jails.
It is worth mentioning that around a month ago 337 Indian fishermen were released from Pakistani jails, but their boats were not returned by PMSA. Since the year 2003, 775 Indian fishing boats valued at nearly Rs 300 crore are in the possession of Pakistan, according to NFWF.
“We want our fishing boats back and to achieve this we are making representations to various authorities including the Centre, Gujarat Government, the President of India and even the Pakistani Government through the International Fish Forum. Despite these efforts, the fishing boats are still in the possession of the PMSA,” lodhari said.