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TWO INDIAN fishing trawlers with 16 fishermen onboard have been apprehended by Pakistan for allegedly crossing over to its side of the notional International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) confirmed Friday.
“The apprehended Indian boats were well inside the Pakistani waters. The apprehensions were made by a PMSA ship during routine surveillance in maritime zones of Pakistan,” PMSA stated in an official release.
The agency further said the apprehended fishing trawlers have been towed to Karachi port. “The boats were apprehended for violation of Pakistani Law and the UN Convention of Law at Sea. After initial investigation, the boats were towed to Karachi and the apprehended fishermen were handed over to Docks Police for further legal formalities,” the release added.
Jatin Desai, a Mumbai-based peace activist who has been working for the welfare of fishermen confirmed the development, said “The two apprehended trawlers were from Mangrol in Junagadh district. Of the 16 fishermen on board the two trawlers, seven are native of Maharashtra.” These are the first reported arrests of Indian fishermen by PMSA this fishing season that began on September 1 along the Gujarat coast.
India and Pakistan have disputes over the alignment of IMBL and fishermen often end up fishing in waters claimed by Pakistan as its territorial waters.
So far, as 631 Indian fishermen continue to languishin Pakistani jails and 95 Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails.
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