KARACHI: At least 194 Pakistani fishermen and 12 fishing trawlers are believed to have been detained either by the Indian Navy or the Indian Sea Customs, while they were fishing in Pakistani waters, near Gorabari — about 120 miles off Karachi.

They all had gone deep-sea fishing about a fortnight ago and, according to the Pakistan Sea Customs, were due back by Feb 21. But none of them had returned yet.

A spokesman of the Karachi Fishermen’s Co-operative Society told “Dawn” last evening [Feb 21] that they had received inquiries from their members about the fate of the 194 fishermen. He said Haji Kaor Nakhuda and Awan Nakhuda, who had managed to return from fishing, had categorically said that when last seen all the 12 trawlers were in Pakistani waters and they did not cross the Pakistani limits. Haji Pir and Noor were fishing with another group apart from those in the 12 missing trawlers.

They said they had come across the Indian Navy and Customs people who tried to capture them, but they had managed to run away from the spot. Since the 12 trawlers did not return to the harbour, no fisherman was yesterday allowed to leave Karachi Harbour for fishing in Gorabari.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2018