KARACHI, Dec 21: Pakistan will free 70 Indian fishermen jailed for fishing illegally in Pakistan's Arabian Sea waters, a provincial official said on Thursday. India will also release 31 Pakistani fishermen and hand them over to Pakistani officials, Sindh Planning Minister Shoaib Bokhari said.

The exchange is part of an agreement between Pakistan and India to free all fishermen held by both the countries, Mr Bokhari said at a ceremony where the Indian prisoners were given clothes and shoes.

The Indian citizens, who include 20 boys aged between 14 and 18, will be released on Friday from jails in Karachi, he said.

Pakistan's coast guard arrested the fishermen over the past year for illegally entering Pakistani waters, Mr Bokhari said.

The Indians will be taken by train to Lahore to be handed over on Saturday to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border.

In a major prisoner exchange in September last year, the two countries emptied their jails of each other's civilian prisoners. Pakistan freed 435 Indians and India returned 148 Pakistanis.

BOATS SEIZED: Meanwhile, three Indian boats were seized and 11 fishermen arrested on Thursday for fishing illegally in Pakistani water.