KARACHI: A judicial magistrate remanded on Friday 29 Indian fishermen to prison for fishing in Pakistani waters.

The Maritime Security Agency detained the fishermen, along with five boats, a couple of days ago for fishing inside Pakistani territorial waters in the Arabian Sea. Later, they were handed over to police for legal action.

Police produced them before the court of a judicial magistrate (West), who sent the fishermen to jail on 14-day judicial remand, directing the investigating officer to file a report till the next hearing.

They were booked under Sections 3/4 of the Foreigners Act and 3/9 of the Fisheries Act at the Docks police station.

Around 190 Indian fishermen were sent to prison in identical cases last month while about 300 have so far landed in jail for fishing in Pakistani waters since January.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2017