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First
batch of 100 Indian prisoners released
The Pakistan Navy had arrested Govind, a fisherman, while he was fishing in Pakistan’s waters. Govind, resident of a small fishermen settlement on the outskirts of the Indian state of Gujarat, used to fish with other fishermen in the open sea near Gujarat to support himself and his family members. He still remembers the morning around two and a half years ago when he was arrested near the Sir Creek with 30 other Indian fishermen while they were fishing in a small boat named Sorati Sagar. The fishermen were sent to the Malir District Jail in Karachi where they spent 32 months. On Monday morning, the first batch of 100 Indian fishermen, including two minors, was released and sent to Punjab by buses. They would stop at Bahawalpur, then leave for Lahore and cross the Wagah border on Tuesday. Pakistani jails are housing around 550 Indian prisoners, 442 of whom had completed their sentences several months ago, but were not released. The Supreme Court of Pakistan recently issued orders to release the 442 prisoners in response to a constitutional petition. The petition was filed by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and other non-governmental organisations through human rights lawyer Iqbal Haider. Jail authorities said the second batch of 100 fishermen would be released on Thursday, the third batch of 101 prisoners on Saturday and the last batch of 141 on September 6. All of them will leave for India through the Wagah border on the next day of their release. Due to strained diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan, the navies on both sides had been arresting fishermen. Similar to prisoners of war of 1971, the families of the fishermen on both sides of the border have been waiting for the release of their loved ones. “I can’t explain how happy I am, but I am worried at the same time because I have no idea what has happened to nine of my family members since I never heard from them in the past 32 months,” Mahesh, a minor inmate, said. Mahesh, resident of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, had gone to Gujarat to visit his relatives; however, he ended up going with them for his first fishing experience and was arrested. PFF’s Muhammad Ali Shah said, “We are happy that these poor fishermen have been released. This will bring a good name to Pakistan internationally.” There are around 155 Pakistani fishermen in the Indian jails, and the Indian peace activists are trying to get them released, he said. Both countries have arrested hundreds of poor fishermen, but none of them has been proven to be involved in any illegal activity, he added. Both countries must initiate a dialogue and resolve this matter once and for all, he demanded. Official data revealed that since 2003, Pakistan has released 3,014 Indian prisoners, 2,723 of whom were fishermen; but India has released only 1,066 Pakistani prisoners, 512 of whom were fishermen. “We are thankful to Pakistani authorities and peace activists who brought about our freedom. We hope that the fishermen jailed in both countries would be released soon,” said Rabu Parsan, an Indian fisherman released on Monday. PILER’s Zulfiqar Shah said, “Recently, both countries have started peace talks, but we believe that these talks would not bring a change unless both countries release the prisoners.”
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