KARACHI, March 25: Civil society representatives have urged the governments of India and Pakistan to release the fishermen who had strayed into the waters of the other country, and their boats also be released.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Mohammad Ali Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), senior Indian journalist Jatin Desai and Karamat Ali of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) said that there were over 342 Indian fishermen in the Malir jail and over 297 Pakistanis, including 37 fishermen, in Indian jails.

They urged both governments to expedite the verification process as many prisoners despite having served their jail terms languished in prison as the other country took long to verify their citizenship.

Mr Shah said that during the last one month around 40 Indian boats had been confiscated by the Maritime Security Agency of Pakistan, which involved over 100 fishermen, who were put behind bars in the Malir jail. The total number of Indian fishermen in the Malir jail had gone up to 342.

He said that according to data gathered from various sources, about 765 boats of Indian fishermen were rusting at the Karachi harbour, whereas over 200 boats of Pakistani fishermen were being held by the Indian Coast Guards.

He said most boats had been damaged or their parts stolen. There were reports that the government had recently auctioned some of the Indian boats, in violation of the international laws and treaties.

Mumbai-based senior journalist Jatin Desai said that according to official data submitted to the Supreme Court of India, on Feb 12, 2013 a total of 297 Pakistanis were in Indian jails, including 37 fishermen. He said that according to the list submitted by the Indian government 35 Pakistanis had completed their sentences or there was no other offence registered against them, but they were in prison waiting for verification of their documents by the Pakistan government. He said a large number of Pakistani fishing boats were lying in the Saurashtra region of the Gujarat state of India.

Karamat Ali referring to the presence of 35 Pakistanis in Indian jails despite having served their sentences said the process of verification of citizens was quite cumbersome. He said those Pakistanis were waiting for verification of their documents by the Pakistani government. He stressed that the government must complete the formalities quickly.

He said the arrest of Pakistani and Indian fishermen had intensified in the recent months after the fresh Line of Control tension between the two armies.

Speakers said that because of the intensified arrests by the marine agencies of both countries fishermen were scared of going into the deeper parts of the sea, which had worsened the economic conditions of the fishing community.

They demand that both countries release all fishing boats confiscated at the time of arrest of fishermen. They said in the past whenever fishermen were released, their boats were also released, but that process had been suspended and should be revived.

They suggested that the biggest confidence-building measure would be a “no-arrest policy”. However, till that policy was evolved, each fisherman be issued a computerised identity card with a fishing permit for quick verification. Now due to lack of identity fishermen languished behind bars for many years despite the maximum imprisonment awarded to them was six months.

They suggested that to prevent arrest of fishermen and confiscation of boats, both governments should form a high-level working group with representatives of the fishermen.

They said that towards evolving a permanent South Asian remedy of this problem, they planned to bring representatives of the fishing communities of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives at Colombo next month so that fishermen could discuss the issue of detained fishermen and evolve a common strategy in that regard.