Ramzan gesture: India to release 88 Pakistani fishermen

NEW DELHI: India has decided to release 88 Pakistani fishermen who will be handed over to Pakistan on June 21 as a goodwill gesture on Ramzan. This comes after Pakistan released 113 Indian fishermen on Thursday.

There are 115 Pakistani fishermen lodged in jails of Gujarat and India has decided to release and repatriate 88 of them after their nationality has been confirmed by Pakistan. Cases against them have been withdrawn with the consent of the competent courts on humanitarian grounds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his telephone chat with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on June 16, had conveyed India's decision to release Pakistani fishermen following a similar announcement by Sharif. The 88 Pakistani fishermen have already left Gujarat today and they will be handed over to Pakistani authorities at Attari Border on June 21. In a tweet, Modi on June 16 said: "Also conveyed to PM Sharif our decision to release detained Pakistani fishermen on this pious occasion" and in another tweet said the Pakistani fishermen were being released so that they could be with their families to observe the blessed month of Ramzan.

The government said release and repatriation of the remaining 27 Pakistani fishermen lodged in jails of Gujarat will be considered by India as and when their nationality is confirmed by the government of Pakistan.