AHMEDABAD, May 9: The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Wednesday apprehended 22 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast, said an official of a fishermen's association.
Two days ago, the PMSA had detained 34 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast.
The latest batch of fishermen, along with their boats, were caught near the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea, said Manish Lodhari, secretary of the Porbandar-based National Fishworkers' Forum (NFF).
The PMSA seized four fishing boats during the operation near the IMBL off the Gujarat coast on Wednesday morning, said Lodhari.
On May 6, as many as 34 fishermen, who sailed from Porbandar on six boats for fishing, were apprehended by the PMSA for allegedly straying into the neighbouring country's territorial waters.
"Now, we have learned that another 22 fishermen were apprehended by the PMSA today morning near the IMBL alleging our fishermen had ventured into the Pakistan side during fishing," Lodhari said.
The captured fishermen and their boats will be taken to the Karachi port by the PMSA, he said.
Lodhari claimed that Pakistani maritime agencies were capturing Indian fishermen at regular intervals near the IMBL.
The PMSA's action comes close on heels of Pakistan's "goodwill gesture" of releasing 100 Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat, just last month. - PTI
