Haunted elders of the arrested fishermen by the Indian Maritime Security Agency on Wednesday clamour for their immediate release, saying Pakistani law enforcers instead of helping are forcing them to keep the issue on low profile.
To them fishing is a primary source of income to live, but water in which they haul nets is a long-disputed area. Sir Creek between Pakistan and India has made numerous fishermen fall prey to the Indian authorities for unmarked borders, they said.
Speaking at a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Haji Abdul Ghani Katiyar, Muhammad Katiyar, Moulvi Usman and Ismail Shah along with Muhammad Ali Shah Chairman Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) regretted the government's apathetic role in releasing of the arrested fishermen.
They said that since August 15, 2008 the total figure of arrested Pakistani fishermen has reached 32 and all of them are in Jakho Indian Jail while Indian authorities nabbed four boats. They said that overall 53 officially confirmed and 79 unconfirmed fishermen with 85 fishing boats are in the Indian custody.
They said that since last November's mayhem of Mumbai, threats to fishermen safety, in water bordering India has increased, and seven fishermen of Al-Rafiq boat and 17 fishermen of Al-Ibrahim and Al-Ahmad boats were arrested by Indian authorities on January 15 2009.
They criticised the Pakistani law enforcers in Thatta region of Sindh for high-handedness against the poor fishermen, saying that if Indian authorities fail to arrest them the local ones start harassing them.
They warned that the arrested fishermen should be released immediately otherwise PFF and elders of the arrested fishermen would launch a movement from February 2, holding demonstration & rallies in Thatta and Karachi. One such rally will be taken out from Sindh Assembly to Karachi Press Club on February 10.
For achieving the objectives, fishermen will also stage a hunger strike on February 24 outside Karachi Press Club to press for acceptance of their demands. They demanded of the government of both countries to release each others fishermen arrested alongwith the boats.