Gandhinagar: In one of the largest single-state deportations of Pakistani nationals in recent years, Gujarat Police on Monday night escorted 60 detainees from various Joint Interrogation Centres (JICs) in the state to the Attari-Wagah border, where they were handed over to Pakistani authorities on Tuesday afternoon. Together with a few detainees transferred from other states, a total of 67 Pakistani nationals were repatriated.

The deportees included 48 fishermen who had strayed across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Indian waters in the Arabian Sea, and 19 civilians — among them 12 infiltrators arrested along Gujarat’s land border in Kutch and Banaskantha for carrying fake identities or crossing illegally. Many of the fishermen had been arrested as teenagers between 2017 and 2023, and spent years in custody.

Military-Style Transfer

The repatriation followed months of coordination between Gujarat Police, the state Home Department, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “Each case was reviewed carefully before clearance,” said Gujarat DGP Vikas Sahay, who oversaw the operation, calling it the biggest single-state deportation in recent years.

Late Monday, a midnight convoy of police buses, jeeps, and escort vehicles rolled out of Gandhinagar, guarded by armed escorts and local police at every halt. The detainees were not informed of their destination until the convoy entered Punjab. By Tuesday afternoon, they reached Attari, where paperwork was completed before the prisoners were handed over to Pakistani Rangers in the presence of BSF officials.

Pakistan Confirms Repatriation

In a statement, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi confirmed the return of 67 nationals — 48 fishermen and 19 civilian detainees. Officials said most of them belonged to Karachi and coastal areas of Sindh. The High Commission added that it would continue efforts to secure the release of all Pakistani citizens still imprisoned in India, including those who have completed their sentences.

Among those sent back, 60 were held in Gujarat, one each in Rajasthan, Hyderabad, and Ludhiana, and four in Amritsar.

More Deportations Likely

According to Gujarat Police, around 25 more Pakistani nationals remain lodged in state JICs, with their cases under review. Another round of deportations is expected in the coming months.

The large-scale deportation comes at a time of strained relations between India and Pakistan, but also highlights continuing backchannel cooperation on humanitarian grounds, particularly in the release of civilian detainees and fishermen. DeshGujarat