ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Monday that Indian fishing boats captured by Pakistani authorities would be returned to India by mid-September after repair.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while ordering the release of 150 Indian fishermen in May, before his visit to India, had also issued directives for the release of 57 Indian boats in Pakistan’s custody.

It is the first time that Pakistan will be returning the fishing boats to India that were seized for maritime trespassing on various occasions.

A nine-member Indian delegation visited Karachi from July 18-20 to inspect the boats and discuss with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) modalities for their return.

“While every effort is made by the PMSA to keep the boats in good condition, however, some minor repairs are still required before the boats could be physically handed over,” the Foreign Office statement said and noted that the boats are “usually not in seaworthy condition” when apprehended.

PM orders release of 151 Indian prisoners before Delhi visit

The Indian delegation would undertake a follow-up visit next month to inspect the repair works.

The statement said the Pakistani government viewed the issue of prisoners as a humanitarian one and called upon New Delhi to adhere to the Consular Agreement of 2008 and recommendations of the Judicial Committee on Prisoners to ensure that all those Pakistani prisoners are released whose sentences have completed.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd , 2014