527 Indians in Pakistan jails, says report

Lahore: More than 500 Indians, mostly fishermen, are languishing in various jails in Pakistan, according to an official report.

The interior ministry said there were a total of 996 foreign nationals, including 527 Indians, in Pakistani jails for allegedly being involved in various crimes, including terrorism, murder, drug smuggling, and for illegally entering into the country.

Most of the Indian prisoner are fishermen who have been arrested for fishing illegally in Pakistan’s territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, it said.

Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently taken in to custody for illegally fishing in each other’s territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats, used by them, lack the technology to avoid them from drifting away into the other’s territory. 

Last month, 55 Indian fishermen were arrested by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency for fishing in the country's territorial waters.