KARACHI, July 19: A large number of relatives of the Pakistani fishermen released by the Indian authorities at Wagah and members of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum welcomed the 18 freed persons at Edhi Centre at Tower on Thursday.

Those released included a 10-year-old fisher boy, Shahmir, son of Aghadino Solangi.

Among the welcoming crowd was fisherman Mohammad Usman whose five sons were among those released. He had come from their village in Thatta to welcome them but fainted with happiness when he met his sons.

The fishermen had strayed into the Indian waters near Kajar Creek and were caught by the Indian maritime forces in February and taken to an Indian prison. They were freed a few days back and driven to the Wagah border by the Indian authorities, who handed them over to Pakistani officials. From Lahore they took a bus and came to Karachi and arrived at the Edhi Centre in the morning.

Abdul Sattar Edhi welcomed the freed fishermen at the centre. He gave them Rs10,000 each as a gift, according to an Edhi Fountaion press release, as their families must have suffered a lot of hardships during their absence.

The fishermen with their relatives and friends who had come to welcome them from their villages took the waiting buses and returned home to their villages of Jangesar and Chhachh Jahan Khan in Thatta.