KARACHI, Oct 22: A seven-member Indian fishermen delegation, who had arrived here last week, could not meet their community members held in a Karachi jail as the provincial authorities here had received no orders from the federal government in this regard.

The delegation wanted to inspect the confiscated boats of their colleagues and were also interested in their repairs. On Monday, the delegation visited the Karachi Fish Harbour, where they met Sindh Fisheries Minister Zahid Ali Bhurgari and the administrator of the Fishermen Cooperative Society, Mohammad Jafar Khawaja, and sought their help for a meeting with their imprisoned colleagues and to get the prisoners’ boats repaired. But the delegation members were told that since the matter was related to the federal government, they would have to seek permission of federal authorities in this regard.

A visibly perturbed Velgibhai Masani, head of the delegation, said that till Wednesday afternoon “we had received no communication from any authority, and we are leaving for India on Wednesday night.”

He said the gifts collected for the imprisoned colleagues had been handed over to Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum for distribution among them.

He said the recent meeting between leaders of India and Pakistan had raised hopes among the fishermen communities of the two countries that they would resolve the issues of fishermen.

According to him, around 350 Indian fishermen had been detained by security agencies in Pakistan and seized 379 boats in the last five years, “but we have inspected only 149 boats”.

He said the fishermen community had raised their voice over the issue, but nothing came out of it. “After almost five years, the Pakistani authorities moved a step ahead in the peace process by inviting a representation of the fishermen community. With orders from the Centre, the state government has formed a seven-member team to hold talks with the Pakistani authorities,” said Mr Masani, who is a fisherman leader from Mangrol and vice-president of the Akhil Gujarat Machimar Mahamandal.

According to Mr Masani, earlier Pakistani authorities had told their Indian counterparts to send a representation before Oct 30 to check and survey the condition of the confiscated boats, failing which they would auction the vessels.

It was following this that the Gujarat government formed the seven-member team and processed the visa and other formalities, said Mr Masani, adding that they had been in touch with fishing community leaders in Pakistan to sort out the issues.

He said the purpose of the visit was to survey the condition of the boats as most of them would no longer be sea-worthy because in the last five years, three cyclones had struck the Pakistan coast and the boats must be nothing more than wreckages. The recently captured boats could be taken back though. “But we will definitely see if the old boats can be taken back with minor repair,” he said.

He further said that the Indian fishermen had been booked by the Maritime Security Agency for illegally fishing in Pakistan waters and they were not involved in any anti-social or anti-national activity.

Mr Masani said: “We are eager to meet our fishermen brothers lodged in Pakistani jails and request the authorities here to provide them with medical treatment or other help they need.”

He thanked the Fishermen Cooperative Society and the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum for their hospitality during their stay in Karachi. They said they hoped that the peace process initiated by the two countries would continue and leaders of both countries would find a permanent solution to problems of the fishermen community.