For more news visit ☛ http://english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision Add us on Facebook ☛ http://facebook.com/NTDTelevision
Eighty-nine Indian fisherman have arrived home, after being released by the Pakistani government last week. But more fishermen are still being held in Pakistan. Bad relations between the two neighoring countries has led to long detentions for people who accidentally stray across the border.
Eighty-nine Indian fishermen arrived in India's Ahmedabad City on Wednesday. They were handed over by the Pakistani government to India's Border Security Force.
Fishermen from both countries frequently stray into each other's territorial waters inadvertently, and end up spending years in their jails.
A state agriculture minister criticizes the Pakistan government for still holding more fishermen in captivity.
[Dilip Sanghani, Agriculture Minister, Western Gujarat State]:
"More than 267 fishermen are still in captivity in Pakistan. We have always demanded the federal government that since the sea coast of Gujarat is near Pakistan, more security should be provided in that area."
Pakistan and India still hold hundreds of prisoners, mostly fishermen who are caught while entering territorial waters of the other country.
[Dilip Sanghani, Agriculture Minister, Western Gujarat State]:
"The Pakistan side purposely sometimes captures Indian fishermen who are even within their water boundaries. The fishermen often violated the water boundaries of each other's countries inadvertently. This has been a matter of concern for both the countries since a long time that if these fishermen cross the borders then they should not be punished."
A released fisherman hopes the federal government will persuade Islamabad to release their fishing boats as well.
