34 Indian fishermen may be released from Pak juvenile facility

Rezaul H. Laskar

Islamabad, June 13 (PTI) Thirty-four Indian fishermen,
all teenagers, are likely to be released from a Pakistani
juvenile facility following verification of their identities.

The fishermen, arrested for alleged illegal fishing in
Pakistani waters, are currently held in the Youthful
Offenders' Industrial School or juvenile jail in the port city
of Karachi, said retired justice Nagendra Rai, the leader of
the four-member Indian team of the bilateral Judicial
Committee currently visiting Pakistan.

Two of the fishermen were only 12 years old when they
were arrested, he told Indian journalists here. The
delegation, which arrived here two days ago, has so far
visited jails in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

"One of our primary objectives is the speedy release of
fishermen, juveniles and old, ailing and women prisoners. The
release of some prisoners may have been held up by lethargy
and inaction in both countries and we want to ensure that they
can go home at the earliest," Rai said.

The visit by the Indian delegation has also resulted in
steps being taken by Pakistani authorities to release two
Pakistani nationals who were mistakenly identified as Indians
and held in a prison in Karachi for 10 years.

During their interviews of Indian prisoners, the
delegation realised that the two prisoners were actually
Pakistani nationals. This was brought to the notice of
Pakistani officials who said they would be released, Rai
remarked.

He said the delegation had not come across any Indian
women prisoner in the jails it has visited so far. "Pakistani
officials told us there are no women prisoners."

Following the intervention of the delegation,
arrangements have also been made to transport the bodies of
two Pakistani nationals, including a woman, who died while in
custody in India some time back. The bodies will be sent
to Pakistan Friday, Rai said.

Rai and other members of the Indian delegation - retired
judges A. S. Gill, M. A. Khan and Amarjeet Choudhary - said
they were, by and large, satisfied with conditions and
arrangements in the jails they had visited, including Landhi
prison in Karachi.

The delegation also met 10 Indian prisoners during its
visit to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi this afternoon.

"We want to see that problems of prisoners are minimised
in future. We are also hoping that all the arrested fishermen
will be released in the near future," Rai said, adding
consular access had not been provided to many Indian
prisoners.

Official sources said there were a total of 614 Indian
nationals in Pakistani prisons, including 412 fishermen. The
figure for the fishermen includes the 34 juveniles whom the
delegation met in Karachi, the sources said.

Of the 202 civilian prisoners, Pakistani authorities had
not provided consular access to 165, the sources said.
Pakistan has also acknowledged the presence of only 53
civilian prisoners, they said.

There are currently 232 Pakistani prisoners in Indian
jails. With the recent release of 14 fishermen, there are no
more Pakistani fishermen being held in India, the sources
said.

India is also ready to release over 100 Pakistani
prisoners as soon as the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi
verifies their identity and completes the necessary
documentation. PTI