Indian fishermen at the Cantt Station before the departure for Lahore. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
“We released 86 more Indian fishermen today,” Raja Mumtaz, the superintendent of Karachi’s Malir jail, told The Express Tribune. “On March 6, we had released 86 fishermen and one citizen of India as a goodwill gesture,” he added.
Another 397 Indian fishermen remain in custody, he said. The freed fishermen travelled by train to Lahore where they would be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border crossing.
The Edhi Foundation, which arranged for their journey to Lahore, bade them farewell with gifts and cash, Mumtaz added.
Both Indian and Pakistani fishermen are frequently detained for illegal fishing since the Arabian Sea border is not clearly defined and many boats lack the technology to fix their precise location.
The fishermen often languish in jail, even after serving their terms, as poor diplomatic ties between the two arch-rivals slows up bureaucratic requirements for release.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2016.
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