Pakistan arrests 58 Indian fishermen

Fifty eight Indian fishermen were arrested on Thursday and their 11 boats seized by Pakistani authorities for allegedly violating the country's territorial waters.

The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency arrested them in the Arabian Sea.

“They violated the territorial waters in the Arabian Sea despite several warnings by our patrol boats,” Ahmed Reza, an official with the agency, said.

He said the MSA had also seized 11 boats and handed over the arrested fishermen to the docks police.

“The fishermen will now be presented before a magistrate and can be sent to judicial custody,” a police official said.

Last month, Pakistan had arrested 61 Indian fishermen and seized 11 boats and these fishermen are now languishing in Malir district central jail.

Ayub Khoso, a senior official of the Pakistan fishermen forum, said that it was time that the governments of Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka find a permanent solution to a major problem affecting the livelihood of the fishermen.

“The arrest of fishermen has now become a frequent matter in Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan territorial waters. In the absence of any clear demarcation in the Arabian Sea these poor fishermen don’t know where they are headed and land into jails in these countries,” Khoso said.

He said their boats also lacked the required modern technology for accurate navigation in the Arabian Sea specially at night.

Pakistan and India also release each other’s fishermen on regular basis.

Last month, Pakistani authorities released 35 Indian fishermen and a civilian from Malir jail while in May this year a total of 151 Indian fishermen were released as a goodwill gesture.

Relations between the two nations have been tense in recent times due to frequent violations on the Line of Control.