Amid frequent incidences of abduction of innocent Indian fishermen along with their costly boats from the Arabian Sea, neighbouring Pakistan has decided to release 86 Indian fishermen from Karachi jail.
Of these 86 Indian fishermen, most are hailing from Saurashtra region of Gujarat, said a senior official in the State fisheries department, adding that they might be released on March 21 and would reach Gujarat by next couple of days via Wagah Border.
According to the officials the fishermen were apprehended along with their boats near International Maritime Boundary line (IMBl) by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) over the past one year. As per PMSA claimed the fishermen were at fault and allegedly entered inside Pakistan waters. Just a week ago the neighbouring country released 87 Indian fishermen from the same jail in Karachi.
Sources in fishermen community claimed that sometimes their boats drift into Pakistan waters but there were incidences in which PMSA personnel apprehended Indian boats from Indian waters too. They also complained that Pakistan regularly releasing Indian fishermen from Karachi prison but the neighbouring country has not yet returned 860 Indian fishing trawlers which were taken there.
In fact Porbandar Fishermen Boat Association has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue of Indian fishermen's boat which are their livelihood.
"There are 18 other fishermen who are in Pakistan jails for nearly three years. These fishermen have also requested for their release along with 86 lucky fishermen," said Manish lodhari, secretary National Fishworker Forum (NFF), adding that the 18 fishermen have also written a letter to authorities of India as well as Pakistan. As of now nearly 400 fishermen are in Pakistan jails, added lodhari.