Goodwill gesture: Pakistan releases 45 Indian fishermen

Pakistan on Friday freed 45 India fishermen on humanitarian grounds as a goodwill gesture, officials said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso decided last week to release the Indian fishermen who have already served their sentences.

The authorities released a group of 45 prisoners from a Karachi prison who later boarded a bus that will bring them to the eastern city of Lahore where they will be handed over to Indian authorities on the Wahga border.

TV footage showed the freed prisoners who were happy at the Pakistani government’s decision. They said they were treated well in the Malir prison of Karachi.

Pakistan and India routinely arrest fishermen after they cross the maritime boundaries for fishing.

Both countries have not succeeded in determining their water boundaries despite series of dialogue on the issue.

At present, 482 Indian prisoners are in Pakistani jails whereas 496 Pakistanis are in Indian jails.

When the Pakistani prime minister ordered their release he expressed the hope that the Indian government will reciprocate the gesture and release Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails who have completed their sentence.

The Foreign Ministry has initiated dialogue with India for the swap of either country’s prisoners, officials say.

The decision to free Indian prison came days after tensions between the neighbors following attacks in jails on an Indian and a Pakistani prisoner. Both later died of wounds.

Rights groups in both countries complain of mistreatment of prisoners in both countries.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=40353

Posted by Tahir Khan on May 24 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.