20000107

Freed Pakistani

fishermen to reach

Karachi on 9th

KARACHI: About 19 Pakistani fishermen will reach here at midnight between Saturday and Sunday after being released from Indian jails, fisheries sources said on Thursday.

They will arrive at the Karachi airport by a PIA flight PK-821 from Mumbai at about 12:30 am on Sunday (January 9). The Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) will bear travel expenses of these fishermen.

The fishermen, mostly from Keti Bandar and Shah Bandar, were arrested by Indian coastal authorities when their boats lost the route and went into Indian territorial waters during the cyclone of May last year which hit Thatta and Badin districts.

Their boats were damaged due to high tides and rough sea during the cyclone.

The released fishermen are Mohammad Hussain Ramzan, Mohammad Umer Hussain Ronjha, Mohammad Yousuf Samaan, Qasim Hussain Ronjha, Mohammad Urs Hussain Ronjha, Ahmed Hussain Ronjha, Mohammad Bux Isa (Boriya), Noor Mohammad Haji Arab (Boriya), Ramzan Raboo Boriya, Mohammad Punhal Boriya, Haji Babu Boriya, Allan Umer Boriya, Nazeer Gul Mohammad, Ashraf Jani Moosa, Ghulam Mohammad Mamoon, Sher Mohammad Younus, Mohammad Hussain Haji Arab, Mamoon Haji Arab, and Hanif Haji Arab.

The officials of FCS will receive these fishermen along with their families.

About 164 Pakistani fishermen, along with 21 boats, are awaiting release from Indian jails, despite the fact that Pakistan had already released 109 Indian fishermen in May last year as a goodwill gesture.

Some of these unfortunate fishermen have been imprisoned in India since 1993 when Indian coastal authorities detained seven Pakistani fishing boats along with 67 crew members.ÑAPP