Seven Pakistani fishermen return home after 10-year detention in Yemen

E-Paper | April 30, 2026

Seven Pakistani fishermen who were detained by authorities in Yemen for over a decade will be returning to Pakistan tonight.

The fishermen who hail from Balochistan and Sindh's coastal areas had crossed international water boundaries 10 years ago and were taken into custody by authorities in Yemen.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the fishermen had been held at Sanaa Central Prison and were released as a result of collaboration between the ICRC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The fishermen will arrive at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport after midnight and reunite with their families after a decade away from home, the ICRC said, adding that Red Cross and MOFA officials will also be present at the airport to receive the fishermen.

*Read more: Plight of fishermen

A press conference will be held Saturday afternoon at the ICRC office in Islamabad where the repatriated Pakistani fishermen, along with their families, will speak to journalists.

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Kamran

Feb 10, 2017 07:31pm

It is an absolute disgrace that these fishermen was detained for so long for such a trivial issue. This just goes to show Pakistan cares little for its citizens. Can you imagine the USA allowing another country capturing their citizens for no reason and leaving them to rot for 10 years without trial?

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layman

Feb 10, 2017 08:03pm

10 years detention of poor innocent fishermen by Yemeni authorities reflect the state of affairs there.Pakistan must lodge a strong protest to Yemen,and ask for appropriate compensation for these fishermen.

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mohammed

Feb 10, 2017 08:15pm

@layman why to protest with Yemeni authorities let us first find out how much do our government knew about it.

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Jara

Feb 10, 2017 09:59pm

The government should be held accountable for the suffering these poor Fisher men went through.

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Wasim

Feb 11, 2017 02:50am

Pakistan government is only busy with Qatari rulers and issuing illegal permits to hunters. Pakistan doesn't need Pakistanis suffering in foreign countries. We don't even have the data to help our people. Our foreign office too busy talking nonsense to press. Recently one Indian newspaper helped a Pakistani woman to return Pakistan.

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Anwar Saeed, Saint Louis, MO. USA

Feb 11, 2017 07:16am

Pakistani citizens specially poor persons have no respect even in their own country. Pakistan has shown no interest for the release these poor fishermen. This is not the first time. These kinds of things happened everyday in Pakistan. No respect or love for the poor.

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Waheed Baloch

Feb 11, 2017 10:48am

Shame on our leaders,

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Abdulla Hussain

Feb 12, 2017 03:47pm

OMG Ten years detention for unintentional crossing of international water boundaries. Ten precious years of life lost for these poor fishermen, DISGRACEFUL ACT. Why PPP government did not do anything to secure their release, likewise PMLN government was also very slow to get their release.

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S. Ahmad

Feb 13, 2017 05:32pm

Pakistan, India and all those countries that put ordinary people like fishermen to jail for years for simple offence like trace-passing unknowingly are TRUE BARBARIAN countries and the responsible authorities of these countries for committing such crimes are inhuman barbarians.

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S. Ahmad

Feb 13, 2017 05:34pm

@layman Pakistan and India are also TWO BARBARIAN countries commit such crimes to each other's fishermen when they trace-pass each other territories unknowingly.

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