KARACHI: Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) rejected the Indian claim of the killing of a fisherman by the navy personnel.
An India Today report claimed the coastal security on Saturday evening fired at the boat of 32-year-old Sridhar Ramesh and killed him near the international maritime boundary line in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast.
However, the PMSA observed the boat was only “cleared towards [the] Indian side”.
“On Nov 5, 2021, at about 4:00 pm — while a PMSA ship was on routine patrol in Eastern Maritime Region — observed few Indian fishing boats about 8NM into [Pakistan’s] Exclusive Economic Zone involved in illegal fishing.”
“One of the boats named Padmani Kopa not adhering to the instructions was apprehended and has been handed over to Police on November 6 for further legal proceedings. The boat crew names are Bhupat Babu (Nakhuda), Sanjy Shidwa, Kishore Mashya, Nirender Bujad, Ajay Vodu, Santosh and Ramu Bujad.”
The agency, the statement said, is “unaware of any incident where someone has been killed or injured”.
“Further, official documents of the apprehended boat show no such name as claimed by some foreign media. PMSA has no knowledge about the boat JALPARI or its crew state.
It is reiterated that PMSA as per standard operating procedure uses nonlethal means while undertaking law enforcement actions. Humanitarian aspects are always kept in mind while dealing with fishermen. PMSA would like that each country’s maritime forces take necessary steps to curb illegal intrusions by fishermen into other country’s EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone].”
