Pakistan arrests 60 Indian fishermen

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan arrested 60 Indian fishermen on Friday for alleged violation of its territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, according to a maritime official.

The arrests have been made weeks after Islamabad released over 400 Indian fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails on the same charge.

Ten boats belonging to detained fishermen were also impounded, a statement from the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency said.

The maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and often results in the arrest of fishermen from both sides as most boats lack sophisticated navigational technology to define their exact location in the sea.

According to the Foreign Ministry, some 152 Pakistani are currently languishing in Indian jails.

Frosty diplomatic ties between the two South Asian neighbors also add to the fishermen’s miseries as many of them remain behind bars even after completion of their sentences.