Palghar: In the spirit of the upcoming Independence Day, senior journalist and peace activist Jatin Desai has appealed to both the Indian and Pakistan governments to release the fishermen currently imprisoned in each other’s countries.
Desai, who has long advocated for the rights of Indian fishermen detained in Pakistan, urged both nations to demonstrate compassion by facilitating the release and repatriation of these individuals, many of whom have completed their sentences long ago.
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According to Desai, 193 Indian fishermen, including 18 from Maharashtra, remain lodged in Pakistani jails. On the other hand, Indian authorities are currently holding 81 Pakistani fishermen in Indian prisons.
“Most of the Indian fishermen have been behind bars since 2022–2023. Their sentences ended years ago, and their nationality has been verified. Technically, they are being held illegally,” Desai stated.
He added that the families of these fishermen, hailing from coastal regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the Union Territory of Diu, are living in dire conditions. “They are anxious and uncertain about when their loved ones will return home,” he said.
Desai urged both governments to treat the matter as a humanitarian issue and take swift action to reunite these fishermen with their families, setting an example of goodwill in the run-up to the national holidays celebrated by both countries in mid-August.
