KARACHI: The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) has arrested 23 Indian fishermen and impounded four boats after they were found violating territorial water limits of the country, according to a statement issued on Sunday.
PSMA Spokesperson Commander Wajid Nawaz while sharing details of the move said the 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, he said.
The arrest comes days after Pakistan released 68 Indian fishermen held for trespassing into its territorial waters in October this year.
In a related development, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) while violating territorial boundaries abducted five Pakistani fishermen along with their boats on Sunday.
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) spokesman said that the Indian BSF kidnapped the fishermen along with five small boats while they were fishing in Jati area in River Indus.
The abducted fishermen who hailed from village Zero Point are Faiz, Bilu Malah, Yaseen, Ali Asghar and Musa Malah. A few days back, the Indian BSF had abducted three Pakistani fishermen hailing from the same village from the same point.
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 jails even after serving their terms as poor diplomatic ties between the two neighbours mean fulfilling bureaucratic requirements can take a long time.
Published in Daily Times, November 13th 2017.
