KARACHI: The Maritime Security Agency (MSA) on Friday arrested 17 Indian fishermen for fishing in Pakistani waters, an official said.

“The Indian fishermen have been arrested by the MSA while they were fishing in Pakistani waters of the Arabian Sea,” said the MSA official. “The agency also seized their three boats being used in illegal fishing. All the arrested fishermen have been handed over to local police for further legal formalities.”

An official at the Docks police station said that a case against the fishermen under sections ¾ of the Foreign Act and 3/9 of the Fishery Act was registered. Most of the arrested fishermen, he said, belonged to Indian state of Gujarat.

The fresh arrest of Indian fishermen came days after the Pakistan government released 146 fishermen of the neighbouring country from the Landhi prison on Jan 7.

Last month, the Pakistani authorities released 145 Indian fishermen as a gesture of goodwill. According to the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, before the fresh arrest there are 294 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails. Similarly, the number of Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails is 125.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018