200 more Indian fishermen to be released today

Another batch of 200 Indian fishermen who were arrested for fishing illegally in Pakistan’s waters would be released from Karachi’s District Jail, Malir, on Thursday (today).The Indian fishermen had been in prison after being arrested for fishing illegally in Pakistan’s waters. They would be handed over to India at the Wagah border. The Edhi Welfare Trust has arranged railway transportation of the fishermen from Karachi to Lahore, from where they would be handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border. The Edhi Welfare Trust would bear all the transportation expenses.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum leader Kamal Shah said that fishermen of both countries live in a state of extreme poverty, adding that they welcome the release of Indian fishermen, but the Indian government should also release Pakistani fishermen to reciprocate the goodwill gesture.Shah said that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari take up the issue. He appealed to the authorities to voice their concern for the Pakistani fishermen who have been languishing in Indian jails for many years.

This is the second batch of Indian fishermen to be released by Pakistani authorities. On May 12, 198 Indian fishermen were released from the Malir district jail. The original number of fishermen who were to be released was 200, but two of them had died earlier. Zulfiqar had died on May 6 and Soma Deva on May 9. It is said that they had been unwell for quite some time. The third batch of 100 Indian fishermen is likely to be released on July 3.