KARACHI, Aug 6: The government has agreed to release all the 343 detained Indian fishermen and their seized boats, it is learnt here.

The fishermen were arrested by the coastal authorities on the charge of illegally fishing in Pakistani waters.

The total number of the detained Indian fishermen is 343. Last week, 269 of them have officially been ordered released with their 25 boats.

It is now reliably learnt that the government has also issued orders for the release of the remaining 74 fishermen and their 18 boats.

A six-member Indian delegation has been on a visit to Pakistan for arrangements pertaining to the repatriation of the released fishermen.

The head of the Indian delegation, Velgibhai Masani, has welcomed Islamabad’s decision to release all the detained Indian fishermen and hoped that the repair work of the damaged boats would be expedited so that the fishermen could return to their homeland as early as possible to participate in the national festival of Rakhsha Bandhan.

India is currently holding 74 Pakistani fishermen and a delegation is to visit India to make arrangements for their repatriation.

MYSTERY: An official of the Fishermen Cooperative Society has said that the society had received no formal information with regard to 16, out of the total 17, Karachi-based fishermen reported to have drowned in Sonmiani a few days back. Reports suggested that their boat had capsized and that one, Mumtaz Magsi, was the lone survivor.