Pakistan releases another 20 Indian fishermen

KARACHI: At least 20 Indian fishermen imprisoned in Karachi’s Malir District Jail released on Sunday and sent to Lahore for hand over to Indian authorities.

According to police, the Maritime Security Agency had arrested the fishermen over violation of Pakistani territorial waters in 2019.

Edhi Welfare Trust officials said the Indian fishermen freed at 3:00 PM from district Malir Jail in Landhi and received the Edhi Foundation for shifting them to Karachi Cantt Station. The fishermen will travel from Cantt Station of Karachi to Lahore and taken to the Wagah border crossing.

The fishermen will be handed over to Indian officials in a ceremony on January 06 at Wagah border. According to Indian media reports, the fishermen released are residents of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

They were apprehended in November 2019 when they entered into Pakistani territorial waters for fishing. It is worth to mention here that Pakistan had released 360 Indian fishermen in 2019 as a goodwill gesture.