Pakistan's PFF announced on Thursday that a Karachi jail will be releasing 80 Indian inmates, predominantly from Gujarat. The move, facilitated by the Edhi Foundation, saw the released individuals transferred to Indian officials at the Wagah Border today.
The PFF revealed this information on Facebook (NASDAQ:META), marking a significant step in managing the prisoner situation between the two nations. As of July 1, there were 266 Indian and 68 Pakistani fishermen incarcerated in Pakistani and Indian jails respectively. This year has seen two fatalities among the Indian detainees, with deaths recorded in August and October.
The majority of the prisoners being released are from Gujarat, with the state accounting for 77 of the total number. The Edhi Foundation, a non-profit social welfare organization based in Pakistan, is assisting in the process.
The released individuals were arrested between September and November 2020 on 13 fishing trawlers and were detained in Landi jail in Karachi. Their journey to Lahore was arranged by PFF and Edhi Foundation, as announced by Saeed Baloch of PFF. From Lahore, they will be taken to the Wagah Border by bus, as detailed by Jatin Desai of PIPFPD.
This development comes amidst ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over various issues, including cross-border skirmishes and disputes over fishing rights in shared waters. The release of these prisoners is seen as a positive move towards resolving some of these conflicts.
Balu Socha of SSS expressed hope that the fishermen, including those from Diu and districts like Gir Somnath and Devbhumi Dwarka, will reach home for Diwali. Upon arrival at Amritsar, Gujarat fisheries department officers will receive them and their journey via luxury buses to Vadodara and then Veraval in Gir Somnath will be arranged.
The exact timeline for the transfer of these individuals to Indian officials at the Wagah Border was not clearly stated but happened today. Further details about the release and transfer process were anticipated to be shared by the PFF and Edhi Foundation in due course.
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