19 October 2004	Tuesday	04 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 18: Judicial Magistrate East Irshad Hussain remanded 60 Indian fishermen to judicial custody till Oct 31 here on Friday. Rakesh, Rakka, Baboo, Kaloo and 56 others were produced before the court and were charged with offence of entering Pakistan's territorial waters , and violating international frontiers.

They were arrested by the Maritime Security Agency on Oct 16, off Karachi coastal waters, while fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan.

According to the MSA, MSS Rehmat apprehended 10 Indian fishing boats, with 60 crew members on-board on Oct 16 for fishing illegally in Pakistani waters.

The ship was on a routine patrol in the Eastern Maritime region when it found these boats illegally fishing in 52 kilometres inside Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone.

The Indian fishermen have been warned time and again not to indulge in illegal fishing but they are repeatedly coming to our EEZ to benefit from our rich fish resources at the mouth of Indus Delta. A total of 562 Indian fishermen are in Pakistan's custody with 101 boats.-APP