KARACHI: The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PSMA) arrested 23 Indian fishermen and impounded four boats after they were found violating territorial water limits of the country, read a statement issued on Sunday.
While sharing details of the exercise, PSMA Spokesperson Commander Wajid Nawaz said Indian fishermen were apprehended for their alleged indulgence in illegal fishing inside the Pakistan’s territorial waters.
The arrested fishermen have been handed over to Docks police to carry out the required legal procedures, said Nawaz.
The intervention process was said to have involved PSMA manned vessels and speedboats.
The arrest comes days after Pakistan released 68 Indian fishermen held for trespassing into its territorial waters in October this year.
Indian and Pakistani fishermen are frequently detained for illegal fishing since the Arabian Sea border is not clearly defined and many boats lack the technology to fix their precise location.
The fishermen often languish in jail, even after serving their terms, as poor diplomatic ties between the two neighbours mean fulfilling bureaucratic requirements can take a long time.
INDIAN BSF APPREHENDS FIVE PAKISTANI FISHERMEN:
On the other hand, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), violating territorial boundaries, apprehended five Pakistani fishermen along with their five boats on the same day.
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) spokesman said that the Indian BSF violating the maritime boundaries apprehended five fishermen, along with five small boats, while they were fishing in Jati area in River Indus.
The fishermen belong to village Zero Point included Faiz Muhammad, Bilu Malah, Yaseen, Ali Asghar and Musa Malah.
A couple of days earlier, the Indian BSF had apprehended three Pakistani fishermen hailing from village Zero Point from the same point.
