Pakistan has illegally arrested 34 Indian fishermen who arrived within Pakistan's sea borders. Pakistan has accused the fishermen that they have violated the sea borders. Recently Pakistan released 60 prisoners of India Pakistan Maritime Security Agency spokesman said that the fishermen were arrested on Tuesday and they were handed over to the local police.
A senior Pakistani official said that all the fishermen arrested will be present in front of the judicial magistrate. The magistrate will decide whether to send them in judicial custody or not.
This is the first time since January this year when the Maritime Security Agency arrested Indian fishermen. Pakistan had arrested five Gujarati fishermen in January and sent them to jail. In order to reduce the tension between the two countries in the backdrop of the terrorist attack in Pulwama, on 29 April Pakistan had released 55 Indian fishermen and five civilians.
In April, the Pakistani government released more than 250 fishermen from Karachi's Landhi and Malir Jails. Fishermen were released in three stages. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry had earlier announced that 360 Indian fishermen would be released in four separate groups in April.
This is not new when Pakistan has arrested Indian fishermen. Pakistan and India often arrest fishermen. No clear demarcation could be made of the maritime boundary in the Arabian Sea. Equipped Boats with technology are also not available to know the exact location of fishermen.
Due to long and slow bureaucracy and legal procedures, fishermen usually live in prison for several months and sometimes for years. In January, India and Pakistan had switched the list of prisoners, under which there are 347 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails, out of which 249 civilians and 98 fishermen were reported.
