KARACHI, March 22: Thirty- one Indian fishermen, detained by the Maritime Security Agency along with their five boats on Saturday, were handed over to the Docks police late on Saturday night.

According to MSA officials, the fishermen on board the five boats were spotted fishing illegally in Pakistani territorial waters by the agency’s boat on a routine patrol on Saturday.

The Indians were detained along with their boats and fish catch and escorted to Karachi, the officials said, adding that the detainees were later handed over to the Docks police for legal formalities.

The maritime agencies of Pakistan and India maintain that fishing boats allowed to operate in the Arabian Sea are usually equipped with the necessary scientific equipment to ensure that they are not violating the limits of their own country’s territorial waters. In some cases, however, the fishermen intentionally cross over the sea border, presumably anticipating a better fish catch.

The fishermen detained by the agencies maintain that they cross over to the other side as there are no border marks clearly visible along the sea border.

They also contest the claim that every boat has the scientific equipment, saying that the equipment is expensive and beyond their means.

Incidents of fishermen crossing over the sea border have become common over the years and whenever they are spotted by the patrolling agencies, they are captured and sent behind bars.

They are convicted and kept in prisons for years for violating the international border.

A border disputed between the two countries over the Sir Creek area also makes it difficult to determine violation of the border by fishermen from either country.