Nearly 200 fishermen hailing from Gujarat are likely to be released from Pakistani jails on Friday.
The fishermen are among more than 650 fishermen from Gujarat coast who are languishing in Pakistani jails for months and years on charges of illegally crossing over to Pakistani waters during their fishing ventures in the Arabian Sea.
Almost a similar number of Pakistani fishermen remain lodged in jails of India in Porbandar, Jamnagar and Bhuj after being nabbed by Indian Coast Guard personnel for intruding into Indian waters, often with ulterior motives.
As the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea is not always respected, the Pakistani Marine Security Agency (PMSA) often seize the Indian fishing boats and the fishermen on charges of entering Pakistani waters.
The Indian Coast Guard also nabs Pakistani boats and fishermen on similar charges, leading to an ever increase in number of such prisoners in jails of both sides.
Batches of such imprisoned fishermen are released by both sides once in a while as goodwill gesture, especially on the eve of some diplomatic measure to improve ties between the two nations.
In order to check infiltration of Pakistanis through sea route, the Indian Coast Guard have trained some fishermen on Gujarat coast to act as their ‘eyes & ears’ by informing the security agencies about any unusual activity or suspicious movements from the other side in the high seas.
Welcoming the returning fishermen is also not so easy as some trained spies might sneak into along with the returnees.
A team of officials from Gujarat have left for Wagah border near Punjab to verify credentials of the released fishermen before accompanying them back home.