With India and Pakistan preparing to celebrate their Independence Days on August 14 and 15, families of Indian fishermen imprisoned in Pakistan are making an emotional appeal to both governments: release those who have already completed their sentences and allow them to return home.
Representatives of fishermen’s organisations and relatives of prisoners gathered in Ahmedabad on Friday, urging India and Pakistan to use the occasion as an opportunity for a humanitarian gesture.
According to the organisations, 198 Indian fishermen are currently in Pakistani prisons, while 54 Pakistani fishermen are lodged in Indian jails. Of the Indian fishermen held in Pakistan, 178 have already completed their sentences but remain behind bars, the organisations said.
The families and activists argue that many of these fishermen accidentally crossed the maritime boundary while fishing and were not involved in spying or any other criminal activity.
Families Ask Governments to Put Humanity First
Representatives of the National Fishworkers Forum, Samast Machhimar Parivar, Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, along with relatives of imprisoned fishermen, appealed to both governments to resolve the issue on humanitarian grounds.
They said fishermen who have completed their sentences should not continue to remain in prison because of political tensions between the two countries.
The organisations also referred to the 2008 India-Pakistan Consular Access Agreement, under which, they said, prisoners whose nationality has been confirmed should be released within one month of completing their sentences.
Activists alleged that this provision is not being properly implemented, leaving fishermen and their families to suffer for years.
‘They Went Fishing, Not Spying’
For families in Gujarat’s coastal communities, the issue is deeply personal.
Manju Mohan Bariya, from Kotda village in Somnath district, said her 22-year-old son Mayur, along with her brothers Kamlesh and Mukesh Chavda, has been in Pakistani custody since 2020.
She said around 10 people from her village are still in Pakistani prisons even though they completed their sentences several years ago.
According to Bariya, her son and brothers had gone to sea to earn a living by fishing and had no connection with espionage or criminal activity.
She said Mayur’s one-year sentence ended long ago, but he has spent almost five additional years in prison.
The family has approached senior officials for help, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, but they are still waiting for the fishermen to return home.
Families Left Without Their Main Earners
The prolonged imprisonment has also created serious financial and emotional difficulties for many families.
Dhanu Bambhaniya of Somnath said her son Kapil and son-in-law Ramjibhai have spent nearly five years in Pakistani custody.
In Una, Bhavna Solanki said her husband Mahesh has been imprisoned for six years. During his absence, she has had to look after their two children and an ailing father-in-law on her own.
Another family member, Jagruti Solanki, said her brother-in-law was the family’s only earning member. His continued imprisonment, even after completing his sentence, has pushed the family into severe financial hardship.
For Jeeviben Ramji of Diu, the separation has been particularly painful. She said her son Vishal was arrested only about six months after his marriage. His young daughter continues to ask when her father will come home.
178 Indian Fishermen Have Reportedly Completed Their Sentences
According to activist Jatin Desai, associated with the Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, 178 of the 198 Indian fishermen currently in Pakistani prisons have already completed their sentences.
The remaining 20 fishermen are under trial, he said.
Desai argued that keeping fishermen in prison even after they have completed their sentences goes against the spirit of the bilateral consular agreement.
He said the agreement provides for the release of prisoners within a month after they complete their sentences once their nationality has been verified.
The activists have therefore urged both governments to take immediate steps to verify the nationality of eligible prisoners and facilitate their return.
Call to Revive Joint Judicial Committee
The groups have also demanded that the Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners between India and Pakistan be revived.
The committee consists of retired judges from both countries and had previously played a role in examining the condition of prisoners and helping facilitate their release.
According to Desai, the committee was last active in 2013.
The activists believe bringing the committee back could provide a structured way to examine the cases of fishermen and other prisoners held across the border.
Families Seek Better Medical Care and Communication
The demands are not limited to the release of fishermen.
The organisations have also called for better medical facilities for fishermen held in Pakistani prisons, particularly for those who have been incarcerated for several years.
They have also sought the restoration of cross-border communication between prisoners and their families, which, according to the groups, has remained suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.
For families who have gone years without being able to communicate properly with their loved ones, restoring correspondence could provide at least some reassurance about their condition.
Demand for Higher Financial Support
The organisations have also asked the Gujarat and Maharashtra governments to increase financial assistance provided to families of imprisoned fishermen.
At present, the assistance is reportedly ₹300 per day. The groups want it increased to ₹500 per day, arguing that families often lose their main source of income when fishermen are detained across the border.
For many fishing families, the loss of an earning member for several years can create serious financial pressure, particularly when there is no certainty about when the person will return.
Independence Day Appeal to Modi and Pakistan Government
With Independence Day approaching, the fishermen’s families are making a direct appeal to the governments of India and Pakistan.
Their request is simple: release fishermen who have already completed their sentences and help reunite them with their families.
The organisations said freeing these prisoners on August 14 and 15 would send a strong humanitarian message despite the political differences between the two countries.
For the families waiting along India’s western coast, Independence Day is not only a national celebration. It is also a reminder of loved ones who have been separated from them for years.
They hope that this year’s celebrations will bring a different kind of freedom for those fishermen — the freedom to return home to their families.
Also Read: Body Of Gujarat Fisherman Returned From Pakistan Jail, Renewing Calls For Release Of Detained Indians https://www.vibesofindia.com/body-of-gujarat-fisherman-returned-from-pakistan-jail-renewing-calls-for-release-of-detained-indians/
