KARACHI: As many as 145 Indian fishermen imprisoned in a Pakistani jail for illegally fishing in the Pakistani waters were released on Thursday as part of a goodwill gesture.Pakistan had recently announced the release of 291 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds in two phases. The first batch of fishermen was released on Thursday while the second batch comprising 146 fishermen are scheduled to be released and repatriated to India on January 7. The fishermen were arrested by maritime authorities for fishing illegally in Pakistani waters. On Thursday, the fishermen arrived at the Cantonment Station amidst tight security and boarded a train for Lahore. Those released were also given gifts and cash prizes by Edhi Foundation, which traditionally helps in repatriation of Indian fishermen.
Published in Daily Times, December 29th 2017.
