Detained fishermen: SC gives govt two weeks to file updated statistics

Counsel argues state cannot give up its responsibility

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has sought a fresh report from the federal government on Pakistani fishermen languishing in Indian jails. It also directed the government to outline the measures taken to secure their release and repatriation from prisons abroad.

After the passage of two years, a three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, took up a petition filed by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), through their counsel Advocate Raheel Kamran Sheikh regarding the repatriation of detained Pakistani fishermen.

The petitioners contended that pollution was gradually lowering water levels and with the entry of bigger companies and foreign fishing vessels, fishermen had to venture into deeper water for a better catch.

“However, due to limitations in navigational technology and difficulty in discerning the maritime border, many fishermen often accidentally venture out into the Indian waters and are arrested and detained by the Indian Coast Guards,” they added.

The bench first seemed reluctant to take up the matter but the counsel argued that the fishermen were poor and the state could not give up its responsibility regarding the enforcement of their fundamental rights. He also referred to the government’s reply two years back where it had stated that no swift progress was being made regarding the release of fishermen owing to a deadlock on composite dialogue between the two states.

Deputy Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti sought time for submitting a fresh report on the matter as a earlier reply was submitted in January 2014.  The bench gave two weeks to file updated report on the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.