Govt planning to release more Pakistani fishermen from jail

The Union government is planning to release another batch of 19 Pakistani fishermen languishing in Indian jails, official sources in the ministry of external affairs said today.

India has already released 31 Pakistani fishermen lodged in jails in Gujarat who are in the process of being sent to Pakistan through the Wagah border.

The government's decision is in response to Pakistan releasing 100 Indian fishermen from its custody on December 26 on 'humanitarian ground'.

Fishermen from both the countries while fishing in the seas, sometimes end up in each other's waters, particularly off the coast of Gujarat, and the coastal police take them to custody. There are reportedly 532 Indian fishermen presently in custody of the Pak police. The number of Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails was not immediately known.

Meanwhile, Indian authorities were still waiting at the Wagah border in Punjab for handing over 31 Pakistani fishermen to their counterparts. They were  released from a jail at Bhuj in Gujarat a couple of days ago.

Talking to PTI over phone today, official source of the ministry of external affairs said, "Due to fog and intense cold, the concerned Pakistani authorities have not reached the border, resulting in a delay".

The Gujarat government had  made special arrangements for transporting the Pakistani fishermen to Wagah border.