Pakistan releases 220 Indian fishermen as goodwill gesture amid strain in ties

Pakistan on Sunday released 220 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture amid ongoing tussle between the two neighbours over persistent cross-border terror incidents.

Out of 518 Indian fishermen, 220 were released from Malir jail who were arrested for allegedly entering Pakistan's territorial waters illegally and fishing, jail superintendent Hassan Sehto told PTI.

Soon after their release, 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.

Last week, 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.

With Inputs from PTI