Pakistani authorities have released 198 Indian fishermen who had been imprisoned in Pakistan for allegedly illegally fishing in the country’s waters and handed them over to India at the Wagah border. On Thursday evening, the fisherman was released from Karachi’s Malir Jail. Malir Jail superintendent Nazir Tunio stated that the first group of Indian fisherman inmates had been released and that two more batches of 200 and 1000 would be released in June and July.
Current Scenario
Initially, 200 fishermen had to be released on Thursday but due to chronic illness, 2 of them died before their release from the jail. Muhammad Zulfiqar, who died on May 6, and Soma Deva, who died on May 9, were both fishermen who died after protracted illnesses. Their bodies were held in the mortuary of the Edhi Foundation until they could be flown back to India. Soma and his nephew were among a dozen Indian fishermen apprehended at sea four and a half years ago and imprisoned in Malir. Soma was sent to the hospital twice for treatment. Mr. Tunio stated that Zulfiqar died as a result of a major heart attack.
Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Welfare Trust, arranged for the fishermen to be transported by train from Karachi to Lahore, where they were handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border. According to Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum General Secretary Saeed Baloch, a second batch of 200 Indian fishermen will be freed on June 2 and another 100 on July 3 under the terms of the deal signed between the two governments. Baloch expressed sympathy for the Indian fisherman, saying that the bulk of them were merely looking for a way to make a living and had no idea they were crossing into Indian territory. “The sad part is that some of them end up spending 7 to 8 years in jail before they even get a chance to return home,” he said.
Fishermen Cooperative Society of Sindh administrator Zahid Ibrahim Bhatti stated that approximately 200 Pakistani fishermen were imprisoned in Indian jails and hoped to return home soon after their release of Indian fishermen. Pakistan and India often arrest rival fishermen for crossing the maritime boundary, which is not always clearly defined.
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