Pakistan releases 100 Indian fishermen

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Sunday released 100 Indian fishermen languishing in jail for trespassing into its territorial waters as a goodwill gesture, local media reported.

The fishermen released from Malir jail in the port city of Karachi were transported to northeastern Lahore city and are likely to be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagha border crossing on Monday, local broadcaster Dunya News reported, quoting unnamed Foreign Ministry officials.

Islamabad on Thursday announced it was going to release 355 Indian fishermen and five other prisoners languishing in its jails in four phases.

The move hailed by peace activists comes amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The two countries often arrest fishermen for violating each other's seawaters due to poorly marked water boundaries and ill-equipped boats that lack the technology to specify exact locations.

Longstanding strained relations between the two neighbors keep prisoners in jail for long periods, and in some cases, even after their sentences have been served.