LAHORE: Pakistan handed over as many 22 fishermen to Indian officials at Wahga border on Saturday.
The Indian fishermen were freed from Karachi jail on Friday upon the completion of their sentences.
The released prisoners were identified as Bhupat, Mala, Krishna, Khalif, Mohan, Asif, Ashok, Akbar, Lakhman, Moji, Deepak, Ramji, Hari, Tapu, Suresh, Vijay, Manoj Kumar, Venu, Mahesh, Subhash, Sanjay and Seelandhar.
Pakistani authorities repatriated Indian fishermen through the Wagah border, where Indian authorities facilitate their return to coastal communities after completing official formalities.
The fishermen were freed from the jail on Friday after the completion of their sentences, said Malir Jail superintendent Arshad Shah.
According to the Edhi spokesperson, all fishermen were also given gifts by the Edhi Foundation and covered their travel expenses.
Edhi Foundation Chairman Faisal Edhi arranged transportation for the fishermen to Lahore, from where they will continue their journey back to India.
Edhi also urged both governments to adopt a more compassionate approach toward fishermen who unintentionally cross maritime boundaries.
He highlighted the suffering of their families during their prolonged incarcerations and called for their immediate release and swift repatriation once their sentences were completed.
Both Pakistan and India regularly arrest rival fishermen who often cross into the waters of the other country due to poorly demarcated sea frontiers.
According to the lists of prisoners exchanged between the two countries on January 1, there were 266 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, including 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen.
The list shared by India showed that there were a total of 462 Pakistanis in Indian jails, including 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen.
