Amritsar, June 3 – Pakistan Government released as many as 200 Indian fishermen who crossed over to India, were handed over to BSF at the Joint Check (JCP) Post at Attari/Wagah border.

Confirming the repatriation of Indian fishermen, official at Attari border said that all the prisoners crossed over to India on June 3 at 1.00 a.m.  through the land transit route of Attari/Wagah border on the basis of ‘Emergency Travel Certificate’ issued by the Indian High Commission based at Islamabad the national capital of Pakistan. 

The Indian fishermen were arrested when their boats slipped to Pakistan through the territorial waters in an area of the Arabian Sea where they were caught by the Pakistani coast guards under illegal fishing while violating its territorial waters. In the Arabian Sea the borders of both the nations are apparently unclear. 

Immediately after the repatriation, the medical examination of all prisoners was conducted by the team of Indian doctors. 

The moment, group of Indian fishermen crossed over to India, they humbly bowed   down their forehead and kissed Indian soil with passion. 

Fishermen are frequently arrested along with their boats by both India and Pakistan as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined, as many fishing boats lack the technology needed to ascertain their precise location.

Released fishermen said it was very difficult to identify the territorial water during fishing in the Arabian Sea, since the colour of water in India and Pakistan was the same which always put the Indian fishermen in deep trap when they reached Pakistan and face arrest for illegal fishing.

All the fishermen were also carrying writ large tension on their faces as they would not be able to join their fishing profession once again as their boats were seized by the Pakistani coast guards. But their boats were not released