NEW DELHI: It’s a New Year gift of sorts for Indian fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails. Pakistan will release 180 Indian prisoners — 179 fishermen and a civilian — on Saturday morning.



After release, they will travel from Karachi to Lahore. On Sunday, they will be “repatriated through the Wagah Border, Lahore ,” said an official letter from the Sindh government, a copy of which is with the TOI. India’s foreign ministry sources confirmed the development. Once the fishermen cross the border, they will be taken to Gujarat.



“Even after the release of these prisoners, 276 other fisherfolk will remain in Pakistani jails. Of these, 83 have already served their sentence but cannot be released because their nationality has not yet been confirmed by Indian authorities,” said Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, a retired Pakistan Supreme Court judge and current chairman of Pakistani government’s Committee for Welfare of Prisoners.



Those working with fishermen rue that the fishermen would be released without their boats. Around 481 Indian fishing boats are rotting in Pakistan waters. “Each boat costs around 30-40 lakh Indian rupees. Many of the fishermen are very poor and an entire fishing village chips in to buy a boat,” Zahid told TOI over phone from Karachi.



He blamed both India and Pakistan for the inordinate delay in releasing innocent fishermen who inadvertently cross national borders while fishing. “These fishermen are usually given a six-month to a year’s jail sentence. By the time they are sentenced, they have already served the term,” said Zahid.



Once they are ready for release, there is a lengthy and tedious process to verify their nationality which, said Zahid, takes six months to a year. “The process of verifying a fisherman’s nationality should begin the moment he is arrested, either by India or Pakistan. So the process is complete at the time of his release and he does not remain in jail after serving his sentence,” said Jatin Desai, joint secretary, Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy.



A year ago, India released 121 Pakistani fishermen and 97 civilians, said an official of India’s external affairs ministry (MEA). Currently, there are 29 Pakistani fishermen in Indian prisons.



“Even if both countries release all the captive fisherfolk, others will continue to be arrested,” said Zahid. There should be a joint committee of officials from India and Pakistan on board a ship between the two countries. They can decide cases of fishermen accidentally straying across the border. “The matter can be settled in the sea itself,” he said.



“A year ago, India’s home secretary and Pakistan’s interior secretary decided to set up a task force with two members each from Pakistan and India. Pakistan has already nominated its members but India is yet to do so,” said Desai.



MEA officials, however, said that neither India nor Pakistan wants to detain fishermen from the other country. “Once they cross the border, the legal process begins. The process of verifying nationalities involves visiting a fisherman’s village to confirm his identity. Often the addresses given are incomplete or very remote. It may take a long time to get there,’’ said an MEA official. It is difficult for fishermen to figure out when they have crossed their country’s waters, especially since they do not have sophisticated navigation systems. “The International Maritime Border is not well-defined between India and Pakistan,” said the official.



LIST OF INDIAN FISHERMEN



1. Parbudass s/o Karishan

2. Ram Sinsh s/o Samat

3. Manden s/o Naja

4. Mahaish s/o Babu

5. Devji s/o Soma Bhai

6. Jagdaish s/o Daya

7. Ramesh s/o Wailiee

8. Parkash s/o Ramiee

9. Kamless s/o Rama

10. Mayon s/o Bacho Bhai

11. Bacho s/o Baboo

12. Bharat s/o Aato

13. Ramesh s/o Bhema

14. Harkishar s/o Ram Jee

15. Sarmand s/o Ram Jee

16. Kaloo s/o Rahoo

17. Hari s/o Jesu

18. Hense Mukh s/o Kanjee

19. Kawana Bekha s/o Haresh

20. Lal Jee s/o Aacha

21. Je Singh s/o Jadu

22. Jadesh Kheta s/o Bhai

23. Kano s/o Dehero Bhai

24. Dhero s/o Natha

25. Bhopat s/o Bala

26. Bhagwan s/o Ghabri

27. Naresh s/o Kaloo

28. Jago Bhai s/o Jesa Bhai

29. Baboo s/o Jetha

30. Ashwan s/o Oka Bhai

31. Bhopat s/o Ram Jaee

32. Paronarti s/o Arjun

33. Jentra Bhai s/o Dana Bhi

34. Bharat s/o Jeo

35. Parbat s/o Jagesh

36. Ashoke s/o Petha Bhai

37. Remesh s/o Jeena Bhai

38. Ganda Bhai s/o Arjun

39. Deepak s/o Kana

40. Mano s/o Devsi

41. Oka Bhai s/o Roda

42. Aipa Bhi s/o Jen Bhi

43. Man Singh s/o Rana

44. Rano s/o Natha

45. Bhagan s/o Lakha

46. Nanoo s/o Khambha Bhai

47. Bhekha Bhai s/o Govanda

48. Bhagwan s/o Lakman

49. Lal Jee s/o Sham Jee

50. Vigoo s/o Lakhman

51. Himat s/o Bhima

52. Ram Bhai s/o Kirshan Bhai

53. Veeza Bhai s/o Lumba Bhai

54. Hari s/o Oka

55. Bhagwan s/o Lakhman

56. Sihtal s/o Megha

57. Pancha s/o Jadool

58. Misri s/o Oka

59. Dhero s/o Megha

60. Dinesh s/o Baghwan

61. Parbat s/o Ram Jee

62. Shanty Lal s/o Soma

63. Gaila s/o Jagga

64. Jeeva s/o Bhana

65. Jaitan s/o Lakhman

66. Govind s/o Kana

67. Dava s/o Naran

68. Ram s/o Nanoo

69. Bheeka s/o Sewa

70. Mukesh s/o Baboo

71. Parsoo Ram s/o Oka

72. Dhreeroo s/o Bachoo

73. Ramesh s/o Nan Jee

74. Danoo s/o Arjun

75. Baloo s/o Pala

76. Jadeve s/o Baboo

77. Manoo s/o Bhika

78. Bhakoo s/o Bachoo

79. Poona s/o Sadir

80. Samat s/o Naja

81. Bhaya s/o Aujun

82. Man Sinsh s/o Bala

83. Bhoopat s/o Ganda

84. Gomind s/o Bora

85. Lakhman s/o Arjun

86. Ramoo s/o Misri

87. Bharat s/o Naran

88. Ramesh s/o Nanoo

89. Dheeroo s/o Raja

90. Karo s/o Lakhman

91. Gulloo s/o Varjan

92. Manoo s/o Parbat

93. Ram Bhai s/o Lakhman

94. Kam Les s/o Ram Jee

95. Ramesh s/o Bhagwan

96. Okara s/o Poonja

97. Karo s/o Davesi

98. Deepak s/o Sagan

99. Mahesh s/o Karman

100. Kishan s/o Naran

101. Ramoo Kirshan s/o Kirshan

102. Arshi s/o Ram Bhai

103. Arshi s/o Bhaya

104. Ramesh s/o Kirshan

105. Raia s/o Jeeva

106. Manou s/o Bachoo

107. Jitesh s/o Soma

108. Mahindar s/o Lakshman

109. Jais s/o Magji

110. Kamlais s/o Kana Bhai

111. Deva Bhai s/o Kaia Bhai

112. Bhagwan s/o Babloo

113. Amrat s/o Jania

114. Sonu s/o Chaitta

115. Vijay s/o Lakhman

l16. Rajesh s/o Jeeva

117. Lal Jee s/o Raja

118. Jais s/o Ram Jee

119. Youresh s/o Dhan Jee

120. Jitindar s/o Lakhman

12l. Sutum s/o Aapiya

122. Ganesh s/o Ravva

123. Parkash s/o Bala Rarn

124. Nanoo s/o Misri Bhai

125. Wallgee s/o Cheena

126. Naran s/o Mandan

127. Oka Bhai s/o Lakhman

128. Jagdesh s/o Lakhman

129. Bharat s/o Rama

130. Nano s/o Raja

131. Bhalo s/o Naga Bahai

132. Hussain Mian s/o Akbar Ali

133. Kana s/o Govind

134. Basher s/o Hussain

l35. Vengiste Dengan s/o Jineran

136. Mala s/o Ramsi

137. Mohan s/o Lakhman

138. Allah Rakha s/o Hussain

139. Anwar s/o Hussain

140. Bahadur Khan s/o Mohammad Khan

141. Beejal s/o Krishan

142. Janti s/o Mgji

143. Dinesh s/o Shankar

144. Hanif Khan s/o Muhammad Khan

145. Sham Jee s/o Kirshan

146. Arjun s/o Bhagwan

147. Natha Bhai s/o Nadoo

148. Ram Jee Bhai s/o Rana Bhai

149. Oka Bhai s/o Natho

150. Veliee s/o Kirshan

151. Kana s/o Sado

152. Nanoo s/o Jessa

153. Bhopat s/o Bhagwan

154. Beejal s/o Kara Bhai

155. Beejal s/o Devsi

156. Baloo s/o Biso Bhai

157. Jagdesh s/o Khemjee

158. Chetan s/o Panjee

159. Rora s/o Behna

160. Devgan s/o Poja

161. Sono Dolo s/o Dolo Bhana

162. Hera Bhai s/o Lakhman

163. Sameer s/o Arjun

164. Jenti s/o Veru

165. Veru s/o Raja

166. Jetoo s/o Ram

167. Bheeka s/o Naran

168. Kirshan s/o pala

169. Babo s/o Pala

170. Arjunun s/o Ram

171. Bhana s/o Naran

172. Bharat s/o Bhora Bhai

173. Dheero s/o Kirshan

174. Rajooo s/o Mehra Man

175. Meero s/o Pala

176. Dheero s/o Ariun

177. Daya s/o Naran

178. Deepak s/o Naran

179. Warja s/o Rana



CIVIL PRISONER (INDIAN NATIONAL)



180. Sama Jusab @ Yousuf s/o Sadhak



