Pak repatriates 101 more Indian fishermen

Pakistan had freed 100 fishermen on August 31 and an equal number on September three, officials said adding the fourth and the last batch would be released tomorrow. The third batch of 101 fishermen, handed over to Indian officials today, were freed from a prison in the port city of Karachi yesterday.

The repatriation was part of Islamabad's decision to free 442 fishermen who had completed their prison terms in Pakistan. All the Indian fishermen were arrested by Pakistani authorities two-and-a-half-year ago on charges of violating country's maritime boundaries.

A majority of them were held in prisons for periods up to three years even after completing jail terms ranging from six months to a year. The release of Indian fishermen materialised when two NGOs -- Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum -- fought a legal battle in the Pakistan Supreme Court against their unlawful detention.