KARACHI: India has released 55 Pakistani fishermen arrested for allegedly violating maritime boundaries between the two neighboring countries, Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation charity said on Sunday.
The fishermen, freed from Indian jails, returned home via the Wagah border crossing between Lahore and Amritsar before being handed over to the Karachi-based charity for onward transport to their hometowns in southern Pakistan.
“Under the instructions of Edhi Foundation Chairman Faisal Edhi, all the released fishermen will be transported from Lahore to Karachi in special Edhi vehicles,” the foundation said in a statement.
The Edhi Foundation, one of Pakistan’s largest humanitarian organizations, routinely coordinates logistics and welfare support for released prisoners and fishermen returning home after years of detention.
Pakistan and India frequently detain fishermen from each other’s countries for crossing into territorial waters, a common occurrence given that the maritime boundary in the Arabian Sea is not clearly demarcated. Many small fishing boats lack modern navigation systems, often leading to unintentional border violations and lengthy detentions.
