Civil society, PFF raise voice for rights of Pakistani fishermen

Govt’s decision to release 439 Indian fishermen welcomed

KARACHI: Civil society, along with the Pakistan FisherFolk Forum (PFF), demanded a mechanism to ensure immediate deportation of Pakistani and Indian fishermen after they enter foreign waters.

This demand was expressed during a press conference and protest at Karachi Press Club on Saturday, where a large number of families of fishermen imprisoned in Indian jails had arrived from Thatta, Badin, Sajjawal, Keti Bunder and other parts of the province. The protesters observed a symbolic hunger strike from 10am to 4pm.

The event was attended by PFF chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah, National Labour Council secretary Karamat Ali, convener of Sindh Labour Solidarity Council Habibuddin Junaidi and Jaffar Khan from Muttahida Labour Federation.

Mai Bhaagi, whose four family members are imprisoned in India, said that their innocent faces still haunt her and she feels helpless, as she is unable to bring them back into the country.

Around 17 Pakistani fishermen have been imprisoned in India for the past 17 years, remarked Shah. He recalled that in 1997 prime ministers of both the neighbouring countries had vowed during a SAARC summit in Colombo, that a mechanism would be evolved to deport fishermen after they cross borders while fishing.

Earlier, fishing boats also used to be released along with fishermen but both the countries have now decided to only release fishermen, he pointed out.

Ali said that recently the Indian government has arrested around 26 Pakistani fishermen along with five fishing boats. Similarly, Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency arrested 43 Indian fishermen on November 20, this year.

Currently, a total of 156 Pakistani fishermen, including 13 children, are languishing in various jails in India and a total of 513 Indian fishermen are present in Pakistani prisons, he claimed.

The National Fish Workers Forum and Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy have assured that they will contact the Indian government for the release of Pakistani fishermen, remarked Ali. Our friends in India, including journalist Jatin Desai, are actively working for this cause and if these fishermen are not released, then they will approach the Indian Supreme Court, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2016.