KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday released 147 Indian fishermen, held for trespassing into its territorial waters, from Karachi’s Malir jail.The process of returning the fishermen who were jailed eight months ago to their country has been initiated, as they are travelling to Lahore this afternoon on the Allama Iqbal Express from the Karachi Cantonment railway station, officials added. In Lahore, the fishermen will cross the Wagah Border and return home.
The travel expenses of the fishermen are being borne by the Edhi Foundation. Some 262 Indian fishermen still remain imprisoned at Malir jail, officials said.
“The prisoners are kept in good conditions here. Non-Muslims are granted religious freedom, as well,” Malir Jail Superintendent Hassan Sehto said.
“We want the message that Pakistanis take care of the imprisoned fishermen,” he added.
“Never have we seen an Indian prisoner and a Pakistani prisoner fight. In fact, the Pakistani prisoners share with the Indians things that their families bring for them when they visit them in jail.”
The fishermen of India and Pakistan occasionally stray into the territorial waters of the other country during their fishing trips and are caught and put into jails where they remain imprisoned for long periods of time.
Published in Daily Times, January 8th 2018.
