India to release nine Pakistani fishermen tomorrow

fishermen belong to Shah Bandar area in Sujawal district

KARACHI: India is set to release nine Pakistani fishermen on Thursday in a reciprocal gesture after Pakistan made a similar move, releasing 68 Indian fishermen last week.

According to Pakistan FisherFolk Forum spokesperson Kamal Shah: “Indian authorities have announced releasing the prisoners, who will reach the Wagah border crossing point on November 4, from where they will board a train to reach Karachi the next day.”

The fishermen being released belong to Shah Bandar in Sujawal district and were arrested from the disputed Sir Creek area in October last year by Indian authorities.

Such arrests are frequently carried out by both Pakistan and India, as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and many fishing boats lack the technology needed to be certain of their precise location.

The fishermen often languish in jail even after serving their term, as poor diplomatic ties between the two nuclear-armed rivals mean fulfilling official requirements can take a long time.

Among those who are being released include three brothers -- Abdul Sattar Thaheemore, Asghar Thaheemore and Rasheed Thaheemore -- and two-10-year-old children Sikandar Ghano and Mohsin Ghano and a 12-year old Ali Nawaz.

“The other three fishermen include: Ibrahim Thaheemore, Ali Thaheemore and Shoukat Thaheemore,” Shah told The Express Tribune.



He added that 156 fishermen Pakistani fishermen have been languishing in Indian jails out of which nine will be released by the Indian authorities on Thursday. Moreover, more than 200 Indian fishermen are in the Pakistani jails out of which 68 Indian fishermen were released last Sunday by Pakistan.

Shah told The Express Tribune: “Three Pakistani fishermen namely Zaman Jut, Usman Sacho and Usman Jut from Karachi’s Rehri Goth area have been languishing in Indian jails for past 18 years.

“I along with the fishermen community demanded the release of all fishermen kept in the jails of both the countries,” said the chairman PFF.

“Those who are being arrested while unintentionally cross into territorial waters of the other country to catch fish should be released as soon as possible as they are the bread earners,” maintained Shah.

He urged both the countries to stop violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea just because they have strained relations as it is affecting the fishermen community.

Shah said he had received reports of three more Pakistani fishermen being arrested from the Sir Creek area on Wednesday.