ISLAMABAD: For humanitarian reasons, Pakistan has freed 198 Indian fishermen who were detained for engaging in unauthorized fishing in its territorial waters.
The fisherman were turned over to Indian police at the Wagah border in Lahore, according to a statement from the Foreign Office.
The fisherman were transported to Lahore by train after being released from the Malir Jail in Karachi on Thursday night.
The first group of Indian fisherman inmates had been released, according to Nazir Tunio, the superintendent of the Malir Jail, who also stated that others will be released in June and July.
On Thursday, Pakistan was scheduled to free 200 Indian fishermen from Malir prison, but two of them passed away from illness.
Muhammad Zulfiqar and Soma Deva have been named as the two fisherman that passed away. While plans were being made for their return to India, their bodies were held at the mortuary of the Edhi Foundation.
