KARACHI – The Indian Coast Guard has detained a Pakistani fishing boat and arrested nine fishermen in the Arabian Sea.
The incident occurred near Gujarat in open waters while the fishermen were engaged in traditional fishing activities.
The boat, which was seized, contained around 500 kilograms of fish and fishing equipment, all of which were confiscated by Indian authorities.
According to the Coastal Media Center, the detained fishermen are from Ibrahim Hyderi, a coastal area in Karachi.
Authorities stated that no illegal or suspicious items were found on the boat, and the fishermen were merely operating in their usual fishing zones.
Last year in February, Pakistan released 22 Indian fishermen, who were arrested for violating international waters, as a goodwill gesture.
The fishermen had been released from Landhi District Jail in Karachi and transported by bus to Lahore under the supervision of a government agency and with arrangements made by the Edhi Foundation. They were handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border.
Deputy Superintendent of Landhi Jail, Arshad Shah, stated that the 22 released Indian fishermen included three Muslims and 19 Hindus.
These fishermen were arrested by Pakistani authorities over the past three years for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters, and they have served the sentence handed down by the local court for their crime.
The deputy superintendent said the fishermen were released on humanitarian grounds and are now being sent back to their home country.
Upon their release, the fishermen were also given a reasonable amount of money for expenses along with gifts.
