As the relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, families of close to 200 fishermen, who are languishing in Pakistan jails are worried. With depleting diplomatic relations between the two countries, these families – mostly from Gujarat and neighbouring Union Territory of Diu – are uncertain about the fate of the fishermen’s release and are reaching out to social activists, seeking help.
Currently, a total of 193 Indian fishermen are lodged in Pakistani prisons — 18 of them are from Maharashtra and most of the others from Gujarat and Diu.
Dhaniben Solanki (50) from Diu’s Vanakbara village said, “Ever since the (Pahalgam) attack, we haven’t been able to sleep at night. Those who have died in the attack are not going to come back, but (now) at least our sons should be released.”
Her son, Sanjay, who is among the 193 Indian fishermen languishing in Pakistan jails since 2022, was the sole breadwinner of the family.
“My son is in jail for three years now. He had gone for fishing from Okha. I spoke to him last in 2022. Since then, there is no conversation,” she said.
“My daughter-in-law, Bharati, works as a labourer and bears the family expenses. I am not keeping well and take care of the two grand-children. My husband is paralysed. We had to stop his medicine due to a dearth of money and source it from a government hospital now,” she said.
Lataben Makwana (41) is worried about her husband, Dipubhai (41), a resident of Pavti village in Diu. He had gone for fishing in February 2022 and was caught by the Pakistan authorities. The family came to know about it a couple of days later. Lataben works as an Anganwadi worker and after her husband’s detention, she is the sole breadwinner. She has two children; a 17-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter. Her two brothers-in-law from the same village are also in some Pakistani jail. “I earn Rs 4,000-4,500 a month… I do not want anything. but the release of my husband …We have not spoken to him since he left (in 2022). Recently, (in February 2025), 22 fishermen were released from Pakistan jail. We got a letter from him in which he had asked us to do something to get him released. He is illiterate, but must have got the letter written by somebody,” Lataben said.
“We are more worried now, given the ongoing war-like situation. Nobody is there to listen to us…,” she went on.
Bhavnaben Vanch has been living in her parents’ house in Sutrapada of Gujarat’s Gir-Somnath after her husband Ashvin was caught by Pakistan authorities in 2021. “We were living separately (from the in-laws) in Kanjotar village near Kodinar when my husband was caught. I had a three-year-old daughter, and was three-month pregnant then. After my husband was apprehended (by Pakistan authorities), I started living with my parents,” she said.
“The last time my husband went for fishing (from Porbandar), he had called saying he was going to the sea and might not be able to keep in touch. He also asked me to pray for his early return. But he was caught. There has no communication since,” she said, adding: “We are very worried. I have small children. Following this incident (Pahalgam attack), I am worried even more. What will happen to my husband? Five years have already passed. I watch the news, and ask my father as to what we should do now… How will my husband be released? Nobody will initiate the process.”
Sangitaben Chavda from Kotda village in Junagadh district too expressed similar concerns for her brother-in-law Mukesh who was caught in 2021 after leaving for fishing from Porbandar. “Those who are behind the (Pahalgam) attack must be punished, but our men should (also) be released.”
Meawhile, an activist from Diu, Chhaganbhai Bamaniya, said, “After the Pahalgam attack, families of the fishermen, who are in Pakistan jails, are very very worried… I get calls from seven-eight families daily. I tell them that their issues are being raised.”
Peace activist Jatin Desai, who has been taking up the cause of the jailed Indian fishermen, appealed to the Centre to get the fishermen back as early as possible, through a post on X on Sunday. He said, “In the current scenario family members of those languishing in (Pakistan) jail are very tense. They are crying. Because, they are now under suspicion if when will their men be released.”
According to Desai, out of the 193 fishermen, 175 have completed their sentence and their nationality has also been confirmed long ago. He cited an Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan that stated that both countries agreed to release the fishermen who have completed their sentence and whose nationality was confirmed, in one month.