Karachi: Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (MSA) on Saturday detained 47 Indian fishermen for illegally entering into Pakistani territorial waters and confiscated their eight boats in the Arabian Sea.
The MSA arrested the Indian fishermen early Saturday morning after they sailed into Pakistani waters crossing the undefined territorial limits between the two neighbouring countries.
A police official at the Dock Police Station told Gulf News that the MSA had handed all the fishermen to the police for further legal action.
As per procedure, the police would produce all the detained fishermen into a magisterial court, who would order sending them to jail for violating Pakistan’s immigration laws.
Both countries frequently arrest each other’s fishermen, as the maritime borders in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and many fishing boats lack the technology needed to be certain of their navigation into the sea.
The arrested fishermen often languish in jails even after serving their term, as hostile diplomatic relations between the two arch-rivals mean fulfilling official requirements can take ages.
Pakistani authorities last month released 57 Indian fishing boats held for nearly a year as a goodwill gesture following a visit by a New Delhi diplomat to Islamabad.
The boats, which were being held by the MSA, were towed to the two countries’ maritime borders before being taken over by Indian authorities.
Earlier in February, Pakistan released 172 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture, days after the premiers of the two countries decided to resume high level contacts.
The arrested fishermen have been kept in different jails in Karachi.
