Pak repatriates 20 fishermen via Attari-Wagah border
Pakistan on Monday repatriated 20 fishermen via Attari-Wagah border. All of them belonged to Andhra Pradesh, who had been in the neighbouring country’s custody since November 2018. The fishermen were handed over by Pak Rangers to the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel led by Commandant Mukund Kumar Jha at the Attari-Wagah border around 7pm after the culmination of Beating the Retreat ceremony.
Pakistan on Monday repatriated 20 fishermen via Attari-Wagah border. All of them belonged to Andhra Pradesh, who had been in the neighbouring country’s custody since November 2018.
The fishermen were handed over by Pak Rangers to the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel led by Commandant Mukund Kumar Jha at the Attari-Wagah border around 7pm after the culmination of Beating the Retreat ceremony.
As per the information, the fishermen were released from Malir district prison in Karachi on Sunday and later handed over to the volunteers of a foundation in Pakistan. The volunteers arranged for the fishermen’s travel from Lahore railway station to the Wagah border.
BSF personnel took the fishermen to the integrated check post (ICP) to conclude formalities. The fishermen will be taken to New Delhi on Tuesday.
At the Attari-Wagah border, they were received by Andhra Pradesh’s animal husbandry and fisheries minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana and special chief secretary (animal husbandry) Poonam Malakondaiah.
“The fishermen will be taken to Delhi tomorrow from where they would go to their homes,” Poonam said, while adding that efforts were on to get other fishermen in Pakistan’s custody freed. The released fishermen were fishing in the Arabian Sea when they were captured last year.
In April 2019, Pakistan had freed 100 fishermen belonging to Gujarat.