Pakistan captures 94 Indian fishermen, seizes 17 boats off Gujarat coast

An official of the National Fishworkers' forum has said that Pakistani forces have apprehended 94 Indian fishermen and seized 17 boats off the Gujarat coast since Saturday.

"Around 70 fishermen on board 13 boats were captured yesterday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

"24 others on board four boats were held today in the high seas from near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off Jakhau coast," the forum's secretary Manish Lodhari said.

A total of 94 Indian fishermen have been arrested and 17 boats seized near Jakhau port in the Arabian sea, Lodhari told PTI, noting that all of them have been taken to Karachi by the agency. He said that fishermen in the area feared more arrests as "the Pakistani agency's vessels are active".

The incident comes close on the heels of the PMSA apprehending 11 fishermen with two boats last week, he said. "Last week, two boats with eleven fishermen were capturedby the PMSA, we have been officially informed," Lodhari said.

The PMSA had in the last week of January apprehended 36 fishermen and seized six boats off Gujarat coast. In a related incident on February 2, the Border Security Force (BSF) had seized four abandoned Pakistani fishing boats near the Sir Creek in Kutch district on the Indo-Pak border during an extensive search operation.