KARACHI, Dec 3: Two hundred and two Pakistani fishermen who have been released recently by the Indian government will arrive here on Tuesday morning.
According to a faxed message received by the Fishermen Cooperative Society, these fishermen, with their seized boats, had left Indian coastal town Okha at 9am on Monday.
They are expected to arrive at Karachi harbour on Tuesday evening where the FCS has arranged an Iftar party for them.
A nine-member Pakistani delegation, headed by an FCS director, Ghulam Nabi Mek, has already left for India to look after the arrangements for repatriation.
An official of the FCS told Dawn that out of 23 boats 10 boats had been badly damaged and these were unworthy for sea journey. However, he said, arrangements were made to shift their engines and hunting nets.
He said all the detained Pakistani fishermen, who were now in the custody of Indian authorities, had been freed, except five fishermen who had been sentenced by an Indian court.
The official also said all the remaining 48 Indians, with their eight boats, who had been arrested in October were also being released on Wednesday.
On Oct 30, Pakistan released 196 Indian fishermen.
Pakistan and India had agreed to swap 398 fishermen on the eve of the Agra summit which was delayed due to monsoon and other technicalities.
