The Pakistani Government on Saturday released 45 Indian fishermen. They were repatriated to India through the land transit route of Attari Wagah border.
Indian High Commission issued Emergency Travel Certificates to the freed prisoners so that they can be allowed to cross over to India via the Wagah land border crossing.
The Indian fishermen had been detaining the laandi Jail in Karachi after being arrested for illegal fishing in the Arabian Sea by Pakistani Coast Guards.
All the released fishermen had inadvertently slipped into Pakistan territorial water.
The fisherman, while narrating their tale of woes with moist eyes, alleged that during detention in jail, they were forced to clean the dirty and unhygienic toilets.
The fishermen were arrested along with their boats which were quite costly ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 7 lakh. The boats were confiscated by the Pakistan coastal guards who refused to return at the time of repatriation.
On May 7, caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan announced that Pakistan would release 51 Indian fishermen who had completed their jail terms. The figure was subsequently revised to 49 and later, 45 prisoners were freed. India and Pakistan frequently arrest fishermen for illegally crossing the maritime boundary.
There are currently 482 Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails while 496 Pakistanis are in Indian jails.
When Khoso announced the release of the Indian fishermen, he expressed the hope that the Indian Government would reciprocate by freeing Pakistani prisoners.
The move to release the prisoners came after Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh died in lahore on May 2 following a brutal assault within Kot lakhpat Jail.