Pakistan arrests 38 Indian fishermen: police

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

KARACHI: Pakistani marine forces have arrested 38 Indian fishermen for violating territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, police said on Thursday.

Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency (MSA) detained the fishermen on Wednesday after they strayed into Pakistani waters, and they were handed over to local police in the port city of Karachi, a senior police official told AFP.

“They (the MSA) have handed them over to police for further legal proceedings,” Javed Jiskani, the senior police official told AFP.

Police will present the fishermen before a magistrate, who will send them to jail for “violating territorial waters illegally,” Jiskani said.

Such arrests are frequently carried out by both countries, as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and many fishing boats lack the technology needed to be certain of their precise location.

The fishermen often languish in jail even after serving their term, as poor diplomatic ties between the two arch-rivals mean fulfilling official requirements can take a long time.

Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have taken a turn for the worse in recent months, with shelling on the disputed border in Kashmir.

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

Islamabad judges’ transfer challenged in Peshawar High Court

PMD warns of Glof risk as rains, landslides batter GB

With 19 seats empty, Lahore High Court moves to appoint more judges

Harmony

Jan 22, 2015 03:55pm

The fishermen from both sides keep violating territorial water rules and then suffer unnecessarily. Why don't their governments give them clear instructions to follow when fishing?

Recommend 0

Jan 22, 2015 04:35pm

UN or any other international body should intervene for deporting these fisherman back to their home country! This is so nonsense to hold these fisherman when sea borders are poorly defined!

Recommend 0

sharabi

Jan 22, 2015 04:45pm

well Good job. Target poor Fishermen.

Recommend 0

khanm

Jan 22, 2015 04:49pm

Oh please for the love of god let them go, they are just poor fishermen.... don't make it in to a political thing... just give them a warning....

Recommend 0

Tranquil

Jan 22, 2015 04:54pm

Poor souls on both side

Recommend 0

Adventurer

Jan 22, 2015 05:41pm

New tactics by Pakistan - Peace is impossible. Poor fishermen from both sides are caught in its midst.

Recommend 0

ASH40(US)

Jan 22, 2015 06:16pm

There should be an agreement of exchange of imprisoned fishermen b/w India-Pak as well as India-SL....But only those who are only innocent fishermen....not involving in any drug, weapon or explosive trafficking....

Recommend 0

Ali

Jan 22, 2015 06:23pm

@khanm - i totally agree and in favor of the fishermen and all other on both sides. However last time Pak released about 40 but india released 4. Also the indian public opinion is negative on this issue. Furthermore, how can u be sure they are just fisherman and not supplying arms or else? I am not judging them but let the firces do their dd and if just fishermen then exchange them 1:1

Recommend 0

Asgher Ali

Jan 22, 2015 06:28pm

Let us show goodwill.......It is an opportunity for us to mend our relations with our neighbor.

Recommend 0

M. Siddique

Jan 22, 2015 06:34pm

Why these fishermen are arrested. These folks are not equipped with sophistication to know where they are. These people are like the Pakistani fishermen who inadvertently get into Indian territory. These poor people are making living for their family. Just escort them out of the Pakistani waters and India should do the same.

Recommend 0

waseem Sarwar

Jan 22, 2015 07:11pm

For Lord's sake, release them. Let them earn something for their families. Same goes for Indian government too.

Recommend 0

ghanshyam

Jan 22, 2015 07:13pm

Bravo !!

Recommend 0

Mahendra Singh

Jan 22, 2015 07:25pm

In bechare garibon ne kya bigada?

Recommend 0

proud_Pakistan

Jan 22, 2015 08:20pm

The last batch of Pakistani prisoners returning from Indian jails claimed that they were moot treated well in India. Pakistan should do the same. Tit for tat answer.

Recommend 0

Temo Shanko

Jan 22, 2015 08:43pm

@M. Siddique ..I agree let the two countries have an agreement to release the poor fishermen within say a week after checking their boat.

Recommend 0

Ali

Jan 22, 2015 08:57pm

good job Pakistan

Recommend 0

Naman

Jan 22, 2015 09:00pm

Pakistan MSA has opened one more front now let us see who can catch more fishermen....seriously though this will just create more negativity in the minds of common Indian people, nothing more. Either capture or release of these fishermen will not affect our diplomatic relations in any positive manner.

Recommend 0

Fisherman

Jan 22, 2015 10:33pm

First of all both the governments should be blamed for not having a clear border line on the waters. When the security forces see these fishermen crossing the border, why can't they search the boats and check for any suspicious activity or goods. If all is fine, just tell them go back? I feel so sorry for all the innocent fishermen.

Recommend 0

shahzad

Jan 22, 2015 10:53pm

fishermen must be punished,,y did they enter in our pak..and india should do the same thing when paki fishermen violates their territory in future

Recommend 0

Jan 22, 2015 11:10pm

@waseem Sarwar well said

Recommend 0

Great Expectations

Jan 22, 2015 11:31pm

@Ali Brother Ali, Indian fishermen community is 10 times that of yours. So 1 (Pk):10 (Ind) ratio to be followed during exchange of poor captives? Warn them and let them go and same courtesy should be followed by Indian authorities. Why do all these capture exercise and waste tax payers money.

Recommend 0

VRM

Jan 22, 2015 11:43pm

@Ali I agree with your apprehensions about the possibility of these fishermen carrying and supplying arms. To circumvent this possibility, we have the Coast Guards who can conduct a search of both, the men and their boats, and if they do not find anything incriminating, they should be allowed to go. As an Indian, I feel at least a bit of goodwill should be extended by our respective countries to these folks, who in most cases survive hand to mouth.

Recommend 0

AXH

Jan 23, 2015 02:11am

@Adventurer - Your post did not make any sense. You were insinuating that these were tactics adopted by the Pakistani government and then you also stated that poor fishermen are caught from both sides. Why did you think that these were tactics from the Pakistani government? I, for one, believe that these fishermen should be investigated to see if they belong to the Indian intelligence agencies and if they are clean then let them go because they have families to feed and take care of at home.

Recommend 0

Khaliq

Jan 23, 2015 03:25am

Ghariboo ko tang nahi karo.

Recommend 0

Iqbal

Jan 23, 2015 05:08am

Just take their fish as it may in Pakistani waters and release them. Feeding them and making them suffer for what? May be identify them and if one of them come again then house them for long time. These are poor people and India should do the same if poor Pakistani fishermen end up same.

Recommend 0

saj

Jan 23, 2015 05:28am

@Harmony Maybe they have, but they still drift into illegal territory. Maybe they think theres more fish on the other side. If Pak/Ind fishermen are not clever enough to realise, then maybe they should stay closer to the mainland

Recommend 0

saj

Jan 23, 2015 05:30am

@proud_Pakistan WRONG- 2 wrongs don't make it right does it. We are talking about human beings trying to earn a living. If India did not treat them well, then its India that needs to learn, but why should Pakistan stoop low.

Recommend 0

No mans Land

Jan 23, 2015 06:14am

What these daily wage earner Indian fisherman did to Pakistan? What these daily wage earner Pakistan fisherman did to India? Why should both countries navy capture them and prison them? Just check their boats and leave them to other side of the border water. If you want take their fish. First of all there should be universal law "No one owns water and air" No arrest can be made on water or air. God shake these are poor people and their family and children will be waiting for them to bring back food to table. You take their fish but please leave them.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expands climate action with one Million Tree Drive and forest reforms

The province is turning policy into action through a series of large scale programmes aimed at rebuilding ecosystems and improving resilience against rising climate pressures.

Taptap Send, Arshad Nadeem partner to highlight Pakistan’s unsung champions

The initiative comes at a time when cricket continues to dominate national attention, often overshadowing achievements in other sports.

NexGen Auto (Nishat Group) to Introduce iCAUR in Pakistan

As one of Pakistan’s leading business groups, Nishat Group operates across key sectors including textiles, cement, banking, insurance, power and agriculture.