Pakistan: Indian fisherman not released even after completion of sentence, dies in Karachi jail

New Delhi. The death of Indian fisherman in Karachi jail has once again highlighted the problem of release of prisoners between the two countries. Babu, a fisherman arrested by Pakistani officials in 2022, died in Karachi jail on Thursday. Babu’s sentence had already been completed, but he was not released.

There has been a demand for the release of Indian fishermen in jail repeatedly on international forums including India. This is not the first incident. Before Babu, seven other Indian fishermen have also died in Pakistan in the last two years. 180 other Indian fishermen like Babu are also lodged in Pakistani jails and they are counting their days. The Government of India is constantly appealing to the Pakistani regime for their early release.

Fisherman died in Karachi jail earlier
Last April, Vinod Laxman Kol of Maharashtra also died in a similar incident. Kol, who was arrested in October 2022 on charges of illegal entry into Pakistani waterways, was kept in Karachi jail. There he suffered a paralysis attack on March 8 and died during treatment on March 17.

2,639 fishermen brought back to the country in 10 years
The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement issued in December 2024 that a total of 209 Indian fishermen are lodged in Pakistani jails. Of these, 51 fishermen have been imprisoned since 2021, 130 since 2022, nine since 2023 and 19 in 2024. In the last ten years, 2,639 Indian fishermen have been brought back to India from Pakistan.