ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: Pakistani authorities have released 22 Indian fishermen from Karachi’s Malir Jail and are likely to hand them over to India on Saturday, according to a media report.
The fishermen were freed from the jail on Friday after the completion of their sentences, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted Malir Jail superintendent Arshad Shah as saying.
Faisal Edhi, chairman of the Edhi Foundation, arranged transportation for the fishermen to Lahore, from where they will continue their journey back to India.
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The Edhi Foundation covered their travel expenses and provided them with gifts and cash.
Edhi also urged both governments to adopt a more compassionate approach toward fishermen who unintentionally cross maritime boundaries.
He highlighted the suffering of their families during their prolonged incarcerations and called for their immediate release and swift repatriation once their sentences were completed.
Pakistani authorities repatriate Indian fishermen through the Wagah border, where Indian authorities facilitate their return to coastal communities after completing official formalities.
The two countries regularly arrest rival fishermen who often cross into the waters of the other country due to poorly demarcated sea frontiers.
According to the lists of prisoners exchanged between the two countries on January 1, there were 266 Indian prisoners in Pakistan (49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen).
The list shared by India showed that there were a total of 462 Pakistanis in Indian jails (381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen). (PTI)
