Paul urges Mukherjee to pressurise Pak for PoWs, fishermen's release

Rajkot, May 18 (UNI) International Human Right Activitist Advocate M K Paul has urged External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to pressurise the Pakistan government to release all the Indian Prisoners of War (PoWs) of the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

In his letter to Mr Mukherjee, he requested the Minister to use his position and take up the matter with the Pakistan Government for the release of the Indian PoWs.

As per the Shimla Agreement (2-7-1972), which was signed by Indira Gandhi and the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Z A Bhutto, the Indian Government had returned 93,000 PoWs of Pakistan, but, even after 37 years, 74 Indian PoWs are still languishing in the Pakistan jails, he added.

Mr Paul has requested Mr Mukherjee to take necessary steps for the release of all the 512 Indian fishermen, who have already completed their legal sentence given by the Pakistan Court.

He also said that at present, 512 fishermen and 369 Indian fishing boats are lying in the illegal possession of the Pakistan Government.

The fishermen were illegally detained by the Pakistan Government for more than two years, he said.

Necessary steps ''may please be taken for the release of all the 512 Indian fishermen and 369 fishing boats, which are the source of livelihood of the fishermen of India'', Mr Paul added.

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