An important round table meeting of India and Pakistan’s fishermen community leaders and officials will be held in New Delhi’s India International Centre on Monday. The meeting will discuss possible solutions on issues pertaining to frequent arrests of fishermen of India and Pakistan for violation of invisible maritime boundary.

Pakistan’s former judge of Supreme Court, Pakistani foreign affairs ministry officials, leaders of Pakistan Fish Forum Works, Indian National Fish Forum Works, Rajkot based human right activist lawyer MK Pal, Kharva community leaders of Porbandar Shri Bharatbhai Modi, Jivanbhai Khunti, Ashwinbhai Jungi, Dilipbhai Sheraji, Mangrol’s fishermen leader Veljibhai Masani, Jafrabad’s Bhagubhai Solanki, Diu’s Lakhmanbhai etc will be participating in this round table meeting.

In last three year, Pakistan Marine Security Agency has captured 444 boats of Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat. The boats are not returned and they are kept idle on various ports of Pakistan’s Sindh province. India’s total 581 fishermen are in Pakistan jails. On the other side 140 Pakistani fishermen are in Indian jails and their 65 boats are parked on Indian ports.

A delegation of fishermen from Gujarat is intending to submit a proposal to Pakistani officials that there should be a common liberal zone between India and Pakistan’s maritime areas for fishing activity and forces from both sides should refrain from arresting the fishermen who mistakenly cross the maritime border which is invisible. The fishermen delegation from Porbandar is also going to request India and Pakistan to come on agreement similar to existing agreement between India and Srilanka under which fishermen crossing international maritime border by mistake are caught but released soon after they are fined.