A fisherman from Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district was reported dead in a jail in Pakistan earlier this month.

This is the second such death in the last three months, said Samudra Shramik Sangh (SSS), an NGO dedicated to the welfare of the state’s fishermen, on Oct 17.

The deceased, identified as Bhupat Vala, 55, of Dudana village in the Kodinar block, died on Oct 9 as informed by fellow fishermen detained in the same Karachi prison.

Vala was arrested by the Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) on Oct 12, 2021. He was allegedly found fishing aboard the trawler Raj Trishul in the Arabian Sea, an act purported by Pakistani authorities to be a breach of their territorial waters. Consequently, he was incarcerated in Karachi.

Vala is survived by a family consisting of his wife, three daughters and a son.

Another fishermen’s death in three months

Adding to the community’s anguish, this incident closely follows the death of another local fisherman, Jagdish Mangal Bamaniya, from Nanavada village of the same block. 

Bamaniya’s life was cut short in Malir jail, Karachi, on Aug 6 of this year. After a wait of 42 days, his family was finally handed his remains, which they laid to rest on Sept 17.

Indian fishermen in Pakistan custody

In a question asked about the ‘Indians in custody of Pakistan’ asked by the AAP leader and MP Raghav Chadha, the ministry of external affairs revealed on Aug 3 the numbers of fishermen and civilians held in Pakistani prisons.

The ministry’s answer read, “According to the lists exchanged in July 2023, Pakistan has acknowledged the custody of 266 fishermen and 42 civilian prisoners who are Indian or are believed-to-be-Indian.”

As per the India-Pakistan ‘Agreement on Consular Access’ signed on May 21, 2008, lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen of each country, lodged in the jails of the other, are exchanged on Jan 1 and July 1 of every year.

Indian High Commission’s role

According to the ministry’s statement, as soon as cases of apprehension of Indian nationals by Pakistan are reported, steps are taken by the Indian Mission in Islamabad to seek Consular Access from the Government of Pakistan.

The Consular Access allows the Indian High Commission to visit the fishermen in Pakistan jails, to assess their well-being and provide them with daily-use welfare items. They are also extended legal assistance.

In 2023, 398 Indian fishermen and 5 Indian civilian prisoners were repatriated as of Aug 2023.

Since 2014, 2,559 Indian fishermen and 63 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan. 

(With inputs from IANS)

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