45 Indian Fishermen get Jail in Pakistan
Pakistan Times National News Desk

KARACHI: Judicial Magistrate South IV Mohammad Irshad on Wednesday remanded 45 Indian fishermen to jail custody on the charges of illegally fishing in Pakistani seas.

ASI Dock Police said that Maritime Security Agency (MSA) has detained these fishermen alongwith seven boats Tuesday night for illegal fishing. MSA handed over these fishermen to Dock Police for legal action.

"We presented them before the Judicial Magistrate South this morning who remanded their jail custody. Leader or Nakhuda of the team is Bhagwan s/o Laljee. They are in Landhi Prison now", he added.

Backdrop

Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) arrested 45 more Indian fishermen and taken into custody 7 of their launches for entering into the territorial seawater of Pakistan at 110 nautical miles.

Police sources say, the arrested fishermen along with 7 launches were brought here and handed over to the Docks police station where a case has been registered against them for entering illegally into Pakistani territory for fishing and they were presented before the court today, Wednesday.

In the last one-and-a half week, this is the third operation of PMSA swelling the number of arrested Indian fishermen in Pakistan to 520 while over 100 Pakistanis are also reported to be under arrest in India accused for the same.

Arabian Sea

The coast guards nabbed the Indian fishermen for fishing in Pakistan's territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The fishermen, who were in seven boats, were captured by the Maritime Security Agency on Tuesday, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of the port city of Karachi, said Lt. Commander Ahmed Nadeem said by adding; 'the men were handed over to police Wednesday.'

On Sept. 20, Pakistani authorities arrested 44 Indian fishermen for illegal fishing and violating Pakistan's territorial waters, and less than a week later arrested a further 26 on similar charges.

Some 406 Indian fishermen were already being held in Pakistan, taking the total number of detained Indian fishermen to 520. India also is holding 100 Pakistani fishermen.

The Territorial Waters

In the territorial waters between Pakistan and India, fishing boats from both countries frequently enter each other's waters, prompting naval guards to arrest them.

In recent peace talks, India and Pakistan agreed to release all fishermen detained by either country. Credible sources were of the view that Pakistan was still in the process of effecting the release of the 406 Indian detainees. Yet a categorical word from New Delhi is yet to be aired as India, by now remains mum on this topic.●