Pak arrests 54 Indian fishermen in two days, India arrests 14 Pakisani fisherman

Ahmedabad, 16 October 2014

The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday chased a Pakistani fishing boat that had intruded into Indian waters and arrested 14 fishermen on board about 34 nautical mile west of Mitha port(at Okha in Jamnagar district) off the Gujarat coast. Pakistan boat ‘Gulsamal’ was apprehended and 14 crew were arrested. They are all Pakistani nationals.

Pakistan maritime authorities arrested 25 Indian fishermen and took into custody their four boats for illegal fishing in the country’s territorial waters, confirmed a police official. The arrest came after Pakistan detained 29 Indian fishermen on September 27, making a total number of detainees to 54 in two days.

“They have violated maritime limits by entering Pakistani territory. Pakistan navy personnel arrested them and we have locked them up under Foreign and Fisheries Act. After registering case against them, we will present them in the court tomorrow from where they will be sent to jail,” said police officer in-charge, Sajjad Mangi at Docks police station.

Author’s note: Indian Prime Minister had invited Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif to India to attend his swearing in ceremony. Later both countries had stopped arrests of fishermen. When Modi skipped Nawaz Sharif, but met ther SAARC country heads during his UNGA visit, on that same day, Pakistan resumed arrests of Indian fishermen after a long halt. In reaction, India too started arresting Pakistani fishermen. This is because, if India wants to ensure freedom of its fishermen from Pakistan jail, it needs to have some Pakistani fishermen in its jail for balanced negociation.