LAHORE: At least 220 Indian fishermen, who were released from the Landhi Jail in Karachi as a goodwill gesture, were handed over to the Border Security Force (India) at the Wagah border on Monday.

“After completing the papers verification process, we have handed over 220 Indian prisoners to the BSF,” a Rangers official told media at Wagah.

The Indian fishermen were released from the Landhi Jail on Sunday and were transported to Lahore by a special train arranged for them by the Edhi Foundation.

The fishermen had mistakenly entered into Pakistani waters and were serving imprisonment in jail.

A prisoner told media that he was a sole bread-earner of his family and was working as a boat mechanic.

He said he saved some money and purchased the boat to change his profession as a fisherman.

He said he mistakenly entered into the Pakistani waters where the authorities had caught him and sent him to jail.

He said his family must have suffered heavily after he was arrested by the authorities.

The Edhi Foundation arranged food, travel expanses of the special train from Karachi to Lahore as well as buses to shift them from the railway station to the Wagah border.

The Indian prisoners thanked the Edhi Foundation workers for their services.

A spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation said they would work for peace by serving the humanity in accordance with the teaching of late Abdul Sattar Edhi.

He requested the Indian authorities to release Pakistani prisoners languishing in jails to promote peace.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2016