January 27, 2006	Friday	Zilhaj 26, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 26: Maritime Security Agency detained four Indian fishing boats with their 37 crew members on Wednesday for fishing illegally in Pakistani waters, an MSA press release issued on Thursday said.

According to the release, the MSA ship, Nusrat was on a routine patrol in the eastern maritime region when it spotted the boats operating about 45 kilometres inside Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The detained Indian fishermen were handed over to the Docks police for further legal action.

The MSA release said that Indian fishermen had been warned time and again against indulging in illegal fishing but they repeatedly violated the Pakistani EEZ to explore benefits from the rich marine resources at the mouth of the Indus delta.—PPI