Lahore – Pakistan repatriated 22 Indian fishermen through the Wagah border on Saturday, following the completion of their sentences. The fishermen were released from Karachi jail on Friday, as confirmed by Malir Jail Superintendent Arshad Shah.
The released Indian fishermen were identified as Bhupat, Mala, Krishna, Khalif, Mohan, Asif, Ashok, Akbar, Lakhman, Moji, Deepak, Ramji, Hari, Tapu, Suresh, Vijay, Manoj Kumar, Venu, Mahesh, Subhash, Sanjay, and Seelandhar.
Edhi Foundation, led by Chairman Faisal Edhi, facilitated their transportation from Karachi to Lahore, covering their travel expenses and providing gifts before their return to India.
Speaking on the occasion, Faisal Edhi urged both Pakistan and India to adopt a more humane approach toward fishermen detained for unintentionally crossing maritime boundaries. He highlighted the hardships faced by families due to prolonged detentions and called for swift repatriation after sentence completion.
Both nations frequently detain fishermen who mistakenly cross into foreign waters due to poorly marked maritime borders.
According to the latest prisoner exchange lists shared on January 1, 2025, Pakistan holds 266 Indian prisoners, including 49 civilians and 217 fishermen. Meanwhile, India reported 462 Pakistani prisoners, comprising 381 civilians and 81 fishermen in its jails.
