India asked to reciprocate Pakistan’s goodwill gesture

Labour leaders and civil society and human rights activists have hailed the Pakistani government’s goodwill gesture to release 439 Indian fishermen on December 25 (today) and January 5.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, they demanded that the Indian government reciprocate by releasing Pakistani fishermen languishing in Indian jails.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum Chairman Muhammad Ali Shah, National Labour Council Secretary Karamat Ali, Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee Convener Habibuddin Junaidi and Muttahida Labour Federation’s Jaffar Khan asked the governments of both the countries to devise a mechanism for not arresting fishermen in case of border violation in the open seas.

Recalling the struggle of activists in both the states for the release of fishermen, Shah said that in 1997 the then prime ministers had assured during the Saarc summit that a mechanism would be devised to deport fishermen to their countries if they crossed into their neighbours’ borders.

Ali pointed out that on December 20 the Indian government had arrested 26 Pakistani fishermen and seized their five boats, adding that Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency had arrested 43 Indian fishermen on November 20.

“Currently 156 Pakistani fisher folk are languishing in various Indian jails. Among them are 13 children. Meanwhile, 513 Indian fishermen are incarcerated in Pakistani jails.”

He said the National Fishworkers Forum and the Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace & Democracy have assured that they would contact the Indian government for the release of Pakistani fishermen.

“Our friends in India, including senior journalist Jatin Desai, are actively working on it. If Pakistani fishermen are not released, Mr Jatin has assured us that they would approach the Indian Supreme Court.”

The labour leaders also demanded that the Sindh government provide social security facilities to all fishermen, especially those arrested and languishing in Indian jails, adding that the Karachi Fishermen Cooperative Society should contribute for the social security of fishermen.

Shah lamented that 17 of the Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails have been languishing for over 17 years, adding that their counsels require access to them, but the high commissions of both the countries have been underperforming and many fishermen are in jails despite finishing their sentences.

Junaidi said the Sindh government would soon announce a labour policy. “Sindh was the first province of the country to provide fishermen with the right to join trade unions.”