THERE is a saying that it is far better to teach a man rather than give him fish to eat.

The marine security guards of Pakistan and India are doing just the opposite. They catch fishermen, seize their boats and tools and put them in jail.

Chances are that while they are in jail their families might be begging for food and they might just do that when they released.

They are treated like this because they cross over to the other country’s seashore, though they do so by mistake.

The correct response by the guards should come after necessary inquiry, after which the fishermen should be let off after paying a token fine and with a warning not to repeat the mistake.

More importantly, the two governments should provide navigation equipment to their fishermen at subsidised rate on installment, with necessary training about how to use the equipment

MUHAMMAD RAFI
Karachi