Pakistani authorities today arrested 23 Indian fishermen on charges of violating the country's maritime boundary.
The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) said that five boats of the fishermen were also seized. The detained fishermen were handed over to police. They will be produced in a court.
The fishermen had sailed from Porbandar a few days ago and were apprehended by the PMSA near the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL), National Fishworkers' Forum secretary Manish Lodhari said.
"We have learnt that at least 23 fishermen were apprehended by the PMSA near Jakhau and they were being taken to Karachi," Lodhari added.
Porbandar-based National Fishworkers' Forum (NFF) is the only national federation of small and traditional fish workers’ unions in India.
On April 9, four PMSA commandos had drowned while two others were saved by Indian fishermen after a boat of the Pakistani agency capsized near the IMBL while allegedly trying to capture around 40 fishermen on seven boats in Indian waters. The PMSA had later released the captured fishermen.
Last month, nearly 100 Indian fishermen were taken into custody and 19 boats were seized.
India and Pakistan routinely arrest fishermen on charges of entering each other's waters.
With PTI Inputs
