Pakistan is expected to go ahead with their goodwill gesture to release 199 Indian fishermen on Friday, arrested for allegedly violating maritime borders and fishing illegally in the neighbouring nation’s waters, states PTI quoting officials.
This is happening despite the death of an Indian civilian who was to be repatriated with them. Zulfiqar, who was to be repatriated with the fishermen died in a hospital in Karachi on Saturday.
An official of Edhi Welfare Trust, which usually arranges for the safe transportation of these Indian fishermen to Lahore and provides other help in jails, said that Zulfiqar’s death was not a mystery as conditions in the Landhi and Malir jails are far from ideal and prisoners with poor health and chronic ailments struggle to get regular proper treatment, PTI reported.
Officials said that they had been told by relevant government ministries to prepare for the release and repatriation of 199 fishermen on Friday.
These fishermen will be sent to Lahore and handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border. Currently, these fishermen are lodged at the Landhi jail here.
A total of 654 Indian fishermen are languishing in Karachi jails while an estimated 83 Pakistani fishermen are in Indian jails.
Out of the 654 Indian fishermen, 631 have completed their sentences and are awaiting repatriation. Pakistan and India regularly arrest rival fishermen for violating the maritime boundary, which is poorly marked at some points.
