NCHR demands of India, Pakistan to repatriate fishermen

Islamabad:As part of its continuing effort for the return of foreign fishermen on the humanitarian ground, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has launched a campaign demanding the repatriation of such prisoners currently being held in prisons in India and Pakistan.

Under this campaign, the Commission aims to highlight the ordeal of those held in prison for accidentally crossing the maritime borders and national and international agreements applied to such prisoners, besides urging the governments of Pakistan and India to schedule talks to ensure the return of the detained fishermen.

According to data collected by the Commission, there are an estimated 1,155 foreign prisoners in Pakistan, with a significant proportion being foreign fishermen who are arrested after trespassing into Pakistan’s territorial waters. The vast majority of fishermen are from Gujrat, India.

NCHR’s campaign started with visits to Malir Prison, Karachi to oversee the situation of the foreign prisoners which included foreign Indian fishermen incarcerated in the facility. NCHR’s campaign is in cooperation with the Legal Aid Society which has been working to ensure the release of foreign fishermen who had completed their sentences.