Pakistani maritime authorities today apprehended six Indian fishermen and seized their boat in the Arabian sea off Jakhau coast in Kutch district, a senior official of a fishermen association said. The fishermen, who had set sail from Okha coast, were captured by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) from near the international maritime border, Secretary of the National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) Manish Lodhari said. They were on a boat named “Nav Durga” and belonged to Mangrol in Junagadh district, he said. The boat was also seized by the PMSA personnel. “The Indian Coast Guard officials have been informed about the incident,” Lodhari said. This was the first such action by the PMSA after the new fishing season began on August 15, he said. Around 465 fishermen, mostly from Gujarat, are languishing in Pakistanjails, Lodhari said. Indian and Pakistani coastal security agencies often capture fishing boats for crossing the poorly-defined maritime border into each others’ territory.
2015 Business Standard Private Ltd.