13 Pakistanis freed by India arrive home

In exchange for 360 Indian fishermen who were released in April by Pakistan after the completion of two-year long imprisonment, Indian authorities on Tuesday handed over four fishermen and nine civilians at the Wagah border to the Edhi Foundation, while 123 Pakistani fishermen were still waiting in various Indian jails to come back to Pakistan.

Among the recently released 13 prisoners, six people belonged to Taluka Jati of the Sujawal district, while two were residents of Mithi, Tharparkar, who had unintentionally crossed the border.

They were brought to Sindh from Lahore by an Edhi Welfare Foundation's van on Friday. Upon arrival at the Edhi Foundation office near Tower, the families of the released fishermen received them.

Edhi Foundation Chairman Faisal Edhi, while addressing a press conference, said around 123 Pakistani fishermen incarcerated in Indian jails should also be released by Indian authorities, and around 132 boats of Pakistani fishermen which were confiscated by Indian authorities should be returned to Pakistani fishermen to help them earn their bread and butter for their families as the seizure of the boats had left them jobless.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum General Secretary Saeed Baloch said that the travel arrangements for the released fishermen from Lahore to Karachi were made by the Edhi Foundation, although it was the responsibility of the government.

Unfortunately, Pakistani authorities were not interested to take up the problems of fishermen with Indian authorities. He pointed out that Pakistan had released around 360 fishermen in the month of April, a group of 60 of the Indian fishermen went to India on April 29, but India had freed only four fishermen and it was not a fair gesture in exchange.

The fishermen were arrested over previous years for trespassing into Pakistani waters and violating international maritime limits. The released prisoners were taken to the Karachi Cantonment Railway Station under tight security where they boarded the Allama Iqbal Express for Lahore so that they could be taken to the Wagah Border.