Pakistan released on Sunday another batch of 100 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture. Pakistan had decided to release a total of 360 prisoners, of whom 100 have been sent home already.
They were detained by the Pakistani Coastguard for illegally fishing in the country’s territorial waters in the Arabian Sea.
The fishermen were taken from Karachi’s Landhi jail to Cantt Station. They will be handed over Indian authorities via Wagah Border.
India should also release Pakistani fishermen too, said a fisherman.
The last batch of 60 prisoners, comprising five fishermen and 55 others, will be allowed to cross the Wagha Border on April 29, according to Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal. He added that 347 Pakistani prisoners, 98 fishermen and 249 others, are incarcerated in Indian jails. We hope India will reciprocate our goodwill gesture, he said.
Last month, India handed over the bodies of two Pakistanis who died in their jails. Shakirullah was stoned to death inside an Indian jail in Rajasthan in February while Noorul Amin was tortured to death days before his release on March 29. His body was received last week by his family.