Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday said that 450 Pakistani fishermen were arrested by Indian authorities during the past five years.
Speaking in the Senate during question hour the advisor said out of total 450 Pakistani fishermen arrested, 395 fishermen had been released by the Indian authorities.
He said they were arrested for their alleged unauthorised presence in the Indian waters, adding whenever an arrest was brought to our notice, Pakistan requested the Indian authorities for consular access in order to collect information on the detainees and establish his or her Pakistani citizenship.
He said the antecedents collected were examined by the interior ministry for confirmation of national status, adding once the national status of a prisoner was confirmed; a formal request was made to the Indian side for early repatriation of the concerned detainee.
He added such a request in some cases was not entertained as the Indian authorities initiated legal proceedings against the detainee. He said the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi arranges legal assistance for under-trial detainees and in this regard, a law firm had been hired by the high commission.
The advisor said financial assistance was also provided wherever required and the high commission coordinates with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs for expeditious repatriation of prisoners who have either been acquitted or have completed their respective sentence.
Replying to another question, he said that Pakistan and Indonesia enjoyed excellent relations in different fields including defence and culture.