252 Indian fishermen still in Pak jails

There are 252 Indian fishermen in the jails of Pakistan, an issue which was raised by external affairs minister S M Krishna during the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, in New Delhi last week.

There are 252 Indian fishermen in the jails of Pakistan, an issue which was raised by external affairs minister S M Krishna during the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, in New Delhi last week.

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Pakistan arrested 156 Indian fishermen in the last seven months of 2011 and 100 in 2010, minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. She said 454 Indian fishermen were released by Pakistan in 2010 and 103 in this year.

The Indian High Commission in Islamabad, on a continuing basis, takes up the matter with the government of Pakistan for the release of all Indian fishermen who have completed their sentences, the minister said.

The matter was raised and discussed during the recently concluded foreign minister level talks held in New Delhi on July 27, 2011, she added.

Kaur also said that the Indian High Commission monitors the status of Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails and requests for consular access for these fishermen.