After serving seven years in an Indian jail Pakistani fisherman come home

After being imprisoned for seven years, seven Pakistani fisherman who unintentionally entered Indian waters during a storm have finally been released. When they returned to Karachi, their families celebrated a long-awaited reunion by welcoming them with flowers and warm embraces.

The Edhi Center Tower welcomed the freed fisherman, who included Gul Sher, Samar, Ghulam Mustafa, Rajan, Sogunjo, Abdullah, and Allah Bachaya. Hafiz-e-Quran Abdullah, who had been imprisoned with his brother and six other people, explained how they had entered Indian territory due to severe weather.

Abdullah described the terrible conditions under which they were imprisoned, stating that Pakistani fisherman were subjected to inhumane treatment in Indian prisons. "Despite court orders for their release, many Pakistani fishermen remain in jail," he disclosed, calling on the government to act immediately. He detailed the cruel circumstances in which captives were housed in chambers without windows for as long as a year without being exposed to the sun. The general treatment was intolerable, and meals were few.

These stories were echoed by other fishermen, who described being severely mistreated and cut off from the outside world. In order for the surviving fishermen in Indian jails to be reunited with their families, they made a straightforward request to the Pakistani government: obtain their release.

By paying for their transportation from the Wagah Border to Karachi and providing presents to the families of the released fisherman, the Edhi Foundation helped them on their way home.

Although the fishermen's families are happy that they are back, the experience has brought attention to the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to secure the safe release of those who are still being held in India.