Dead fishermen
Pakistan, India need to discuss the problem once more, examine why past agreements have not been adhered to.
This particular case of the death of the fisherman also needs to be inquired into, so the full facts can be revealed and we can determine if there was wrongdoing involved. PHOTO: REUTERS
The issue of Pakistani and Indian fishermen held in each other’s jails, has been in the news once again lately, with issues coming up over the return of the bodies of fishermen who had died and the failure to follow agreed protocols intended to ensure the swift release of these persons who accidentally stray into each others’ waters.
The problem has been complicated by the mysterious death in a Karachi Jail of an under-trial Indian fisherman. There are allegations that he may have been tortured to death. Jail authorities have denied this. The fisherman was among the 54 Indian fishermen arrested by the Maritime Security Agency in late January 2013 for entering Pakistani waters. He later escaped and was recaptured by the police. Following his death, jail authorities have denied torture and no marks were found on his body by doctors. Further investigations are on. Prison officials say he had been sick and was being treated.
Of course, the full truth needs to be established. But the fact is that this unfortunate death simply underscores the need to resolve the problem of fishermen. It is inevitable they will at times drift into waters outside their own territory. As the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum has pointed out, this is all the more likely as boats venture further out to sea due to falling catch near coasts as a result of pollution and fishing by large trawlers. It is unfortunate that their desperate attempts to earn a livelihood should lead them into so much peril. Pakistan and India need to discuss the problem once more, examine why past agreements have not been adhered to and ensure fishermen do not end up in jail for years. This particular case of the death of the fisherman also needs to be inquired into, so the full facts can be revealed and we can determine if there was wrongdoing involved. The case will inevitably add to niggling tensions between Pakistan and India, and it would be unwise to leave it unsolved. The doubts raised must be removed in a transparent manner, for the sake of the fisherman’s family and for Pakistan-India relations.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2014.
The problem has been complicated by the mysterious death in a Karachi Jail of an under-trial Indian fisherman. There are allegations that he may have been tortured to death. Jail authorities have denied this. The fisherman was among the 54 Indian fishermen arrested by the Maritime Security Agency in late January 2013 for entering Pakistani waters. He later escaped and was recaptured by the police. Following his death, jail authorities have denied torture and no marks were found on his body by doctors. Further investigations are on. Prison officials say he had been sick and was being treated.
Of course, the full truth needs to be established. But the fact is that this unfortunate death simply underscores the need to resolve the problem of fishermen. It is inevitable they will at times drift into waters outside their own territory. As the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum has pointed out, this is all the more likely as boats venture further out to sea due to falling catch near coasts as a result of pollution and fishing by large trawlers. It is unfortunate that their desperate attempts to earn a livelihood should lead them into so much peril. Pakistan and India need to discuss the problem once more, examine why past agreements have not been adhered to and ensure fishermen do not end up in jail for years. This particular case of the death of the fisherman also needs to be inquired into, so the full facts can be revealed and we can determine if there was wrongdoing involved. The case will inevitably add to niggling tensions between Pakistan and India, and it would be unwise to leave it unsolved. The doubts raised must be removed in a transparent manner, for the sake of the fisherman’s family and for Pakistan-India relations.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2014.