August 13, 2018
As a humanitarian gesture to mark Pakistan's Independence Day on 14th August, Islamabad has decided to release 30 Indian prisoners, including 27 Indian fishermen.
Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said in a statement, "This is in line with Pakistan's consistent policy of not politicizing humanitarian issues. It's our hope that the Indian side will also reciprocate in a similar manner."
Both Indian & Pakistani fishermen occasionally stray into each other's waters, owing to lack of clear demarcation of maritime boundaries during their fishing trips & are caught and put into jails for a longer period of time.
Due to lengthy bureaucratic hurdles & slow progress by the governments of both countries on reparation, the fishermen languish in jails for a long period of time. However, India & Pakistan occasionally release the fishermen as a goodwill gesture.
Many civil society organisations around the world've been urging New Delhi & Islamabad to enter into an agreement for defining & enforcing proper international maritime laws.
On 3rd May, Pakistan repatriated an ailing 20 years old Indian prisoner Jitendra Arjunwar on humanitarian grounds. Arjunwar, who's suffering from Thalassemia, unintentionally crossed into Pakistan following an argument with his family in 2013.
In January this year, Pakistan set free 147 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture. They later crossed into India through the Wagah border.
In his 1st speech after the general elections last month, Pakistan Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan said that he wanted to have good relations with India & work to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue. Mentioning Kashmir as the core issue of dispute between the 2 nations, he said that it was time the 2 countries sat across the table & discussed the issues of concern.
Subsequently, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi congratulated Khan's victory in the polls & expressed hope that the new Pakistan govt would work to ensure a terror-free, peaceful & stable subcontinent.
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