Bilawal Bhutto: 600 Indian fishermen who were detained for allegedly breaking maritime boundaries between the two nations have been freed by Pakistan as a peace gesture. This choice was made while Goa, India’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit was being attended by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
This move is seen as a step in the right direction to ease tensions
According to reports, the first 200 fishermen are expected to be released on May 12 and the remaining 400 on May 14. This move is seen as a step in the right direction to ease tensions between the South Asian neighbours, who have a history of conflict and border disputes. However, neither country has a clear-cut framework or strategy for the swift release of foreign offenders, so many inmates continue to serve time after their sentences are supposed to have ended. 654 of the 705 Indian citizens now detained in Pakistani prisons are fishermen. Accordingly, 434 Pakistanis are being held by India, 95 of them are reportedly fisherman.
NHCR also referred to regional and global agreements during their campaign
Rabia Javeri Agha, the chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights (NHCR), launched a campaign on May 1st calling for the release of the imprisoned fishermen and bringing attention to their tragic situation. NHCR also referred to regional and global agreements during their campaign and demanded that the two countries set a schedule for talks on the release of these people. The fisherman will be handed over to Indian officials at the Wagah border after being freed. The 200 released prisoners will be driven to Lahore by the Edhi Foundation, and the Sindh government will give each Indian fisherman 5,000 rupees, as well as food supplies and presents.
Human rights groups applaud this step
Human rights organisations in both countries have repeatedly urged their governments to enact a “no-arrest” policy for fishermen. The expected release of these fishermen is expected to ease the strain on both nations’ already overcrowded prison systems and provide some relief to the inmates’ families. Human rights groups applaud this step and express optimism that both nations will work to find a long-lasting solution to the issue of imprisoning fisherman in the future.
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