Gandhinagar, 21 July 2014

Gujarat Chief Minister Smt. Abandiben Patel today welcomed the Pakistani Government’s decision to return as many as 57 fishing boats of 150 Indian Fishermen, who were released earlier.

The Chief Minister said, the fruition was the result of the representation made by Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi during his meeting with his counterpart Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif’s visit to New Delhi in last May.

The Pakistani Coast Guards are capturing the Indian fishermen and their boats from the sea and then putting them into the jails. The Gujarat Chief Minister had been often making representations to the central government, during her visit to New Delhi, for release of the Gujarati fishermen along with their boats.

As results of those efforts Mr. Modi had taken up the matter at higher level with Pakistani Government resulting into returning of 57 fishing boats.

It is to be mentioned here that a high-level Indian delegation comprising of nine-member had visited Karachi on last Sunday and discussed on releasing of Indian Fishermen’s 57 boats, after their inspections.

Author’s note:

In the past Pakistan used to release Indian fishermen through sea-route along with their boats. But for last few years, Pakistan stopped releasing boats. The fishermen were released via land border in Punjab. Each fishing boat costs anything between 11 lakh to 18 lakh. On one occasion Pakistan Marine Security Agency even auctioned the Indian boats captured by them for alleged violation of maritime boundary. During all the years of UPA government in centre, release of fishing boats from Pakistan was one of the main agendas in the list of Gujarat government with centre. It is a great news for fishing community that finally Pakistan has released at least some fishing boats. India should respond in same manner.