“The interior ministry ordered the release of the 220 fishermen while 219 are still in our custody,” Sehto said.

Pakistan on Sunday released 220 Indian fishermen, a goodwill gesture which comes amid strain in ties after the recent cross border terror incidents.

The 220 fishermen released from Malir jail here were arrested for allegedly entering Pakistan’s territorial waters illegally and fishing, jail superintendent Hassan Sehto told PTI.

The fishermen boarded a train to Lahore, from where they will be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border.

“The interior ministry ordered the release of the 220 fishermen while 219 are still in our custody,” Sehto said.

The goodwill gesture comes amid strain in ties between the two countries after Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an Indian army base in Uri in September.

Last week, the Pakistan fishermen forum claimed that Indian maritime authorities had picked up dozens of Pakistani fishermen from inside Pakistan’s territorial waters near the Gujarat coastline and taken them away, though the government has not responded to the claim so far.