(a) whether the State Government of Gujarat has written a letter requesting his Ministry to get Indian
fishermen released from Pakistani jails ;
(b) if so, the number of letters written by the Gujarat Government in this regard during the last three years; and
(c) the action taken by the Union Government thereon?
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)
(a) & (b) In the last three years, the State Government of Gujarat has informed this Ministry on several
occasions of the capture of Indian fishermen and their fishing boats by Pakistani authorities. Such communications
also contain requests to expedite the release of Indian fishermen and their boats from Pakistani custody.
In addition, a number of Members of Parliament from Gujarat, and Members of Legislative Assembly of Gujarat
have also written to this Ministry in this regard in the last three years.
(c) Government of India has been making persistent efforts for the release of Indian fishermen and their
boats from Pakistan. An India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners was formed on 26 February 2008. The
Committee made recommendations to the two Governments, which inter alia, included immediate release of and
consular access to fishermen, and exchange of a consolidated list of nationals in each other’s jails. The
Committee visited jails in Pakistan in June 2008 and jails in India in August 2008. It also held its meetings
during these visits. In its last meeting held in India in August 2008, the Committee again recommended, inter
alia, immediate release and repatriation of all prisoners to their respective countries who had completed their
sentences and whose nationality had been confirmed. Pakistan released 34 Indian fishermen in August 2008,
and another 99 fishermen in November 2008. India had released 14 Pakistani fishermen in its jails in May 2008
in pursuance of the committee’s recommendations. The issue of release of remaining Indian fishermen and their
boats from Pakistan’s custody is regularly taken up by the Government with the Government of Pakistan.