Fishermen to reach Gujarat on Saturday

As many as 31 mechanised boats carrying 245 Gujarati fishermen and 24 navigators of goods ships who were released from Pakistani jails will arrive at the Okha port in Jamnagar district on Saturday.

They will be escorted by the Coast Guard and received by government officials. An official statement here on Thursday said the Ministry of External Affairs had informed the state government that the 31 boats carrying the fishermen and navigators would set off from Karachi late on Thursday evening to reach Okha on Saturday.

As many as 319 fishermen had been captured by the Pakistani authorities recently when they had reportedly strayed into the territorial waters while fishing. They had been languishing in Pakistani jails since then.

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In response to repeated representations by the Centre, Pakistan agreed to release the 245 fishermen.

At the handover which was attended by officers of the Pakistan Navy and Pak Coast Guard, Indian First Secretary in Islamabad R.K. Sharma said India will release 94 Pakistani fishermen. He didn’t say when.