Pakistani fisherman's body lies unclaimed in Gujarat

Body of Pakistani fisherman Nur Alam Ali Husain, arrested for straying into Indian waters, is still lying in a hospital at Jamnagar, as there has been a delay in reply from the neighbouring government to claim his body.

"Soon after the death of Husain in a hospital at Jamnagar on December 17 last, an official communication was sent on the very next day to the Pakistani High Commission for taking possession of his body for sending it to Pakistan," official source said today.

The Indian authorities have not received any reply from the Pakistani authorities, and that is why Husain's body is still lying in the hospital, the source said.

The National Fish Workers' Forum had also taken up the issue with the home department of Gujarat government and the ministry of external affairs.

"The issue was taken to the higher-ups after requests from Husain's counterparts in Karachi to do so. The family members and relatives of this fisherman have been pressurising the Pakistani People's Forum and Pakistan Folk Fish Forum to get back the dead body of Husian," Manish Lodhari, Convenor of the National Fish Workers' forum said.

Husain was arrested on November 8 for straying into the Indian waters. His boat 'Rabak' was also seized, the source said.

Husain died in the jail due to "some illness", the source said.