November 26, 2008	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 25: Prison authorities on Tuesday released 99 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture, reciprocating the recent release of 28 Pakistani prisoners from Indian jails, officials said.

The fishermen have been taken from Karachi to the eastern city of Lahore where they will be handed over to Indian authorities on Wednesday, said IG Prisons Yameen Khan.

“We have released them as a goodwill gesture,” Khan told AFP.

He said two additional prisoners would be released in Lahore, meaning a total of 101 prisoners would be handed over to the Indian authorities, but hundreds of their colleagues remain locked up in Sindh.

“We have still 355 Indian prisoners in our custody. All of them are fishermen and no one is involved in any criminal activities,” Khan said. Authorities here estimate that more than 100 Pakistani fishermen are languishing in Indian jails.