India releases four Pakistani prisoners

E-Paper | July 04, 2026

LAHORE: India handed over four Pakistani prisoners to Rangers personnel at Lahore's Wagah Border on Tuesday.

Mohammad Alamgir, Hafiz Noman Butt, Javed Alam Shumail and Shahnawaz — detained in Indian prisons for a long period of time despite finishing their respective sentences — were released in return for the 36 Indian fishermen that were earlier repatriated to India from jails in Karachi. Out of the four, one was a fisherman while three others were civilians.

More on this: 36 Indian prisoners released from Karachi jail

Last week, 35 fishermen and one civilian were released from the District Prison Malir after completing their sentences.

Pakistan and India frequently arrest and accuse each other’s fishermen of violating their respective zones in the Arabian Sea. An estimated 419 Indian fishermen are currently held in Karachi's District Prison Malir, whereas according to the Fishermen Cooperative Society, approximately 400 Pakistani fishermen are currently being held in Indian prisons.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

40 killed, 8 injured as passenger bus falls into ravine near Balochistan-KP border

CM Bugti vows to protect peace in Awaran

Balochistan to launch convoy system on highways

ali

Dec 02, 2014 02:23pm

so the ratio is 9:1 ...... is that the going rate for Pakistani for every indian....... atleast modi could have evenly matched the Pakistani PM gesture....

Recommend 0

Amir

Dec 02, 2014 02:46pm

Good move by India, , such actions can bring the two countries close

Recommend 0

Vikas

Dec 02, 2014 03:08pm

@ali: pakistan released innocent fishermen. India released 1 fishermen and 3 criminals who finished their terms. Numbers cannot be criterion for comparison of good gesture. It's good gesture from both sides that need to be appreciated.

Recommend 0

Abbas

Dec 02, 2014 03:16pm

Sorry to read that India th champion of human rights had only let 4 prisoners to go home. Where are Indian commentators and their supporters? I want your contribution good or bad. If you comment on every bad thing in Pakistan then it is your moral responsibility to comment otherwise after that donot bother to write on any good or bad news.Thanks, I am not sorry for this and hope the moderator will publish a truth from my heart.

Recommend 0

The_Agent

Dec 02, 2014 03:19pm

@Vikas Well Said.

Recommend 0

Mamata_Begam

Dec 02, 2014 03:44pm

The number of released fishermen should be directly proportional to the population of the country of origin.

Recommend 0

KuriousKake

Dec 02, 2014 03:54pm

@Vikas What exactly is reference for this assertion. Fishermen and criminals ? Do you know what were their "crimes"? Was any of these ever convicted in a court of law ? Were they kept languishing in the prison far beyond the sentence ? If not,, why were they not released earlier if the 'punishment' was already over ?

Recommend 0

KuriousKake

Dec 02, 2014 04:02pm

@Mamata_Begam Not funny. Consider yourself in the shoes of the families waiting for the beloved.

Recommend 0

SKS

Dec 02, 2014 04:28pm

@Abbas India cannot send Indians to Pakistan in the name of Pakistani prisoners. Number of Pakistani prisoners in India is far less than Indian prisoners in Pakistan. Then how the ration will match.

Recommend 0

KuriousKake

Dec 02, 2014 05:11pm

@SKS and you know this for a fact..!? Please do share the reference of this fact so we can all be thankful to you. !

Recommend 0

Shafiq khan

Dec 02, 2014 05:39pm

@Vikas It is unacceptable for both countries to keep any citizens of either country in prison unless they have a very good security reason. These are poor fishermen with families to feed and nethier government help them in theirvdifficult and dangerous job to earn a meager living. Stop such imprisonment of poor people. If you are so keen to protect your bit of the sea then demarcate it unambiguously that the fishermen in their boats do not have any doubt as to the limits. What you gain by hurting these poor people ? It is a simple humanitarian issue, nothing to do with security or sovereignty.

Recommend 0

Nitin

Dec 02, 2014 05:45pm

Isn't there a way to find out who is a spy and who is a fisherman? May be deep smelling their underarms? And isn't there a way to ensure that they don't 'stray' in each other's waters? Yes, India and Pakistan are enemy countries but I am sure that both countrymen are matured enough to not bother innocent civilians. IMO, there should be some kind of id cards issued to these fishermen and an yearly parade to exchange the arrested people. Actually, I would say that even if we find each other's spy or a military guy, we should release them after a couple of years. Spies and military guys are just doing what their bosses told them to do...and need to be treated with respect and humanity. Of course, this wouldn't include people who want to do terrorist kind of activities.

Recommend 0

a common man

Dec 02, 2014 05:51pm

every action has its opposite reaction

Recommend 0

Ash

Dec 02, 2014 05:56pm

No fishermen should be imprisoned. They should be fined and let go home. All boats should have GPS so that before they cross sea border, GPS warns them and they do not cross it by mistake. I understand that these guys generally cross it without knowing it.

Recommend 0

akash

Dec 02, 2014 06:31pm

well.this is absurd.could it be because there are not many Pakistani prisoners on this side.nah.this is uncomplementary gesture frm indian side.

Recommend 0

Sunshine (USA)

Dec 02, 2014 06:48pm

Come on India, have a heart. If those Pakistanis held in Indian prisons are just fishermen and civilians they should be let go. And the release should be expedited if the sentences are completed. Lets be fair.

Recommend 0

Amit ray

Dec 02, 2014 06:50pm

@ali First check the ratio of Indias population to that of Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Khan-Haqiqi

Dec 02, 2014 07:17pm

Big country small heart while Pakistan releases hundreds of Indian fishermen in response India releases only few, just take out one year statistics . Shame on India

Recommend 0

Ali

Dec 02, 2014 08:16pm

It is amazing that some Indians are justifying the release ratio by equating with populaton ratio and jailed people ratio with out even knowing the jailed individual numbers and crimes. Please show guts and question your respective governements as why those who completed the sentence were still in jails. PEACE

Recommend 0

amery

Dec 02, 2014 08:20pm

thanks india

Recommend 0

Time waste

Dec 02, 2014 08:28pm

As per the news, still Pakistani jail has more Indian fisherman,419 vs 400. Both governments should make it 400-400=19

Recommend 0

Branded Content

K&N's SmartCooking Recipes: Bologna Slices Sandwich

A hearty bologna sandwich with cheddar, a fluffy vegetable omelette, crisp salad and a creamy sweet chilli mustard sauce, folded and toasted until golden.