78 Indians released by Pakistan return to India

It was emotional homecoming for the group, as the moment they crossed over to India, they bowed their heads and kissed the Indian soil.

Amritsar, July 11: As many as 78 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistani authorities as a goodwill gesture and handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah Border on Monday.

The fishermen reached Lahore Railway Station through a special train organised by the government. After some food and rest at the station, they were taken to Wagah Border on special buses and handed over to Indian officials.

They crossed over to India through the land transit route on the basis of Emergency Travel Certificates issued by the Indian High Commission based at Islamabad.

Immediately after their repatriation, a team of Indian doctors conducted their medical examination, officials posted at Attari Border on the Indian side said yesterday.

It was emotional homecoming for the group, as the moment they crossed over to India, they bowed their heads and kissed the Indian soil. The fishermen's faces, however, betrayed anxiety when they talked about their future as their boats are still in Pakistan's custody.

The cost of a boat varies from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, depending on its size and quality. Most fishermen said that they were already debt-ridden before their arrest as boats were purchased after obtaining loan and now they would be rendered jobless. They said it was difficult to identify the territorial waters during fishing in the Arabian sea.

Fishermen are frequently arrested along with their boats by both India and Pakistan as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and the boats lack the technology needed to ascertain their precise location.

The Indian fishermen were arrested in May last year when their boats entered Pakistan's waters in an area of the Arabian Sea where they were caught by the coast guards.

PTI