KARACHI, Oct 6: A seven-member Indian delegation is due here on Sunday morning to take the custody of 196 detained Indian fishermen, it is officially learnt here.

The delegation will be headed by an official of the Gujarat fisheries department and representatives of the Indian fishermen community.

These fishermen with 32 boats were arrested on charges of illegal fishing and transgressing the seawaters of Pakistan. The release of these fishermen had been ordered by the government sometime ago.

An official of the Fishermen Cooperative Society said: “All necessary steps would be taken for early repatriation of these fishermen.”

A swap of 398 fishermen detained in Pakistan and India was expected to take place between the two countries in July-Augustlast, but it was delayed due to monsoon and some other reasons.