By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan handed over 100 Indian prisoners to the Indian authorities at the Wagha border on Tuesday a day after they were released from a Karachi’s prison, officials said.
The fishermen were allowed to cross into the border after the Pakistani immigration authorities checked their documents and Indian border officials approved their identity.
TV footage showed the freed Indian prisoners waving to the media while crossing into the Indian side of the border.
They were released on the order of the federal government.
Some 442 Indian fishermen who completed their prison sentences will be released in four batches.
Another group of 100 fishermen will leave the prison Sep 2, a third batch of 101 prisoners on Sep 4, while the last group of 141 prisoners will leave Sep 6.
They were held for fishing illegally in Pakistani waters near Sir Creek.
Two NGOs Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research had filed a petition in the Supreme Court for release of the fishermen.
On Aug 12, the court issued notices to the foreign affairs and interior ministries, asking them on what grounds the Indian fishermen were being held as they had completed their sentences.
The foreign ministry later told the court it had no objection to release the fishermen.
Former federal law minister Iqbal Haider, who had taken up the case for the NGOs, said there are 456 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails but the government ordered the release of 442. The fate of 14 other fishermen was not yet known.
Both countries arrest each other’s fishermen for illegal fishing and when they entered other’s waters.