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Photo from May 25, 2014 shows Pakistani policemen preparing to release jailed Indian fishermen from a prison in Karachi. —AFP
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KARACHI: Pakistani marine forces have arrested more than 60 Indian fishermen for violating territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, police said on Friday.
The fishermen strayed into Pakistani waters yesterday and Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency (MSA) arrested them and handed over to the police.
“MSA has handed over 61 Indian fishermen to us and 11 of their boats,” senior police officer Sheeraz Nazir told news agency AFP.
The fishermen were handed over to the police for further legal proceedings that generally mean months or even years in prison.
Such arrests are frequently carried out by both countries, as the maritime border in the Arabian Sea is poorly defined and many fishing boats lack the technology needed to be certain of their precise location.
Also read: Sailing unanchored on troubled seas
The fishermen often languish in jail even after serving their term, as poor diplomatic ties between the two neighbouring countries mean fulfilling official requirements can take a long time.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have taken a turn for the worse in recent months, with some of the worst shelling in years on the disputed border in Kashmir.
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