The process of repatriating 100 Indian fishermen, whose release was ordered by Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as a humanitarian gesture, ran into a hitch today due to logistical issues.
The release of the fishermen was announced by Gilani's office yesterday, though Indian authorities were formally intimated about the move late last night.
The Pakistani side did not provide a list of the fishermen, which would have enabled Indian authorities to verify their identity and prepare their travel documents, diplomatic sources told PTI.
Authorities in Malir Jail in Karachi, where the fishermen are being held, began making preparations to send them by bus to Lahore this morning, though formalities for their repatriation had not been completed.
When their travel was delayed, some of the fishermen protested, TV news channels reported.
Malir jail superintendent Ashraf Nizamani told news channels that the move to send the fishermen from Karachi to Lahore was temporarily put off due to a request from the Indian government.
The diplomatic sources said it was essential to verify the identities of the fishermen and make arrangements for the repatriation to their homes.
This process could get underway once the Pakistani authorities provided a complete list of the fishermen, they said.
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