PMSA arrests 28 Indian fishermen for illegal fishing

KARACHI: Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Friday arrested 28 Indian fishermen for illegally fishing within the marine borders of Pakistan.

According to PMSA spokesperson, the agency impounded five wooden boats in an operation carried out in the open sea. The fishermen have been handed over to the Docks police for further legal proceedings, the spokesperson said.

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.

Pakistan released 78 Indian fishermen held for trespassing into its territorial waters in July this year.

Relations between India and Pakistan have plummeted since a deadly attack on an Indian army base in the disputed region of Kashmir in September, that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over the mountainous region.