LAHORE, Jan 6: Pakistan on Thursday repatriated 266 Indian fishermen via the Wagah border crossing.

The fishermen were caught on the charge of illegally entering the Pakistani waters. They were kept in various jails and brought here from Karachi on Monday. The period of their detention varies from one to three years.

"We have handed over the fishermen to the Indian Border Security Force after we got their travel documents from the Indian High Commission," a Pakistan Rangers official said.

The Indians, among them 28 boys, walked into their homeland in groups by going through the immigration process which began at 9am and continued until 2pm. "I do not think I ever committed a sin for which I was punished. I have been in various jails for the 15 past months," said Parkash Ram, 35, a resident of Utter Pradesh.

Kishan Lal, 40, from Gujarat, said he had spent three years in Pakistani prisons, and added: "I never had an idea that such a small mistake can land me in such a big trouble."

He said his release had come as a new life for him and his family. "We must be thankful to the Pakistan and Indian governments for the initiative they have taken for bringing peace to the region." Officials from the Edhi Foundation, who accompanied the fishermen on their train journey from Karachi to Lahore, gave them gifts before they saw them off.

APP ADDS: Speaking at the ceremony held to mark the occasion, Punjab Minister for Prisons Saeed Akbar Khan said the return of the fishermen to India would help improve the relations between the two countries.

He said that 266 out of a total of 840 Indian fishermen in captivity had been handed over to the Indian authorities, adding that the rest would be released after the completion of the legal process.

Mr Khan said the government had contacted the Indian authorities for the release of Pakistani prisoners and hoped for an early Indian action in this regard.