Seven Indian fishermen arrested for fishing illegally in Pakistan's waters

Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) has arrested seven Indian fishermen and impounded a boat after they were found violating territorial water limits of the country, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The PMSA spokesperson said Saturday that an Indian fishing vessel namely ‘TULSI MAIYA’ with seven crew on board was apprehended by a PMSA ship during a routine patrol on January 28 which was engaged in poaching inside Pakistan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In the statement, the maritime agency said that PMSA regularly patrols Pakistan’s EEZ to ensure the protection of its own fishermen while ensuring no foreign fishing vessels conducts poaching in the territorial water limits of the country.

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After observing the Indian fishing vessel poaching inside the Pakistani EEZ, the PMSA issued a warning to its crew but it did not respond which led the maritime agency ship close to the vessel.

The statement read, “After seeing approaching PMSA ship, the Nakwa of the Indian Fishing vessel made evasive and dangerous manoeuvre.” Later, the PMSA ship successfully apprehended the Indian fishing boat after chasing it down and compelling it to stop in the name of the law.

The Indian fishing boat was towed to Karachi for further legal proceedings against the poaching of rich resources of the Indus Delta which is a violation of Pakistani law and the UN Convention on Law of the Sea.