Pakisan Maritime Security arrests 56 Indian fisherman

KARACHI: Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Thursday captured at least ten Indian boats and arrested 56 fishermen over violating and entering Pakistani territorial waters, ARY News reported.

The boats violating the sea border and breaking into Pakistani waters were carrying around 56 fishermen, the PMSA confirmed as they acted swiftly against the transgressors on information conveyed to them.

The PMSA has taken into custody all the ten boats and the 56 passengers, that happen to be fishermen, for violating the international border. All the captured boats brandished Indian flags, the maritime agency said.

Amongst the Indian fishermen who trespassed into Pakistani territorial waters, 12 had been arrested before for the same violation, PMSA confirmed.

Read: PMSA rescues 23 fishermen stranded in open sea

The PMSA said it responded to a concrete report it received of the violation and acted on it with its waters and air teams assigned to the case.

Earlier in July, the government of Pakistan shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 324 Indian nationals incarcerated in Pakistani prisons, including 270 fishermen and 54 civilian prisoners.

This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on 1st January and 1st July, respectively, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.

Read: Pakistan, India swap lists of fishermen, civilian prisoners

It said the Indian government also simultaneously shared a list of 362 Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails, including 265 civilian prisoners and 97 fishermen, with the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi.