Lok Sabha Question No. 2579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Fishermen in Pak Jails
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: PR. SENTHILNATHAN, P. KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2579

TO BE ANSWERED ON-03.01.2018

## FISHERMEN IN PAK JAILS

## 2579. SHRI PR. SENTHIL NATHAN: SHRI P. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether   hundreds   of   Indian   Fishermen   and   their   fishing   boats   were captured by Pakistan and Sri Lankan Government during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and year-wise;
- (c) the number of fishermen, civilians and prisoners of  war released by Pakistan and Sri Lanka during the said period; and
- (d) the   steps   taken/being   taken   by   the   Government   for   the   release   of remaining prisoners languishing in Pakistan and Sri Lankan Jails and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI M. J. AKBAR)

- (a) to (c)  As per available information, the number of Indian fishermen and fishing boats apprehended and released, and the civilian prisoners released since 2014 is given below:

|                           |                          | Pakistan   |   Pakistan | Pakistan   | Pakistan   | Sri Lanka   | Sri Lanka   | Sri Lanka   |   Sri Lanka |
|---------------------------|--------------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|                           |                          | 2014       |       2015 | 2016       | 2017       | 2014        | 2015        | 2016        |        2017 |
| Fishermen                 | Apprehende d/ Imprisoned | 435        |        370 | 316        | 503        | 787         | 454         | 290         |         440 |
|                           | Released*                | 185        |        335 | 410        | 508        | 1045        | 375         | 333         |         420 |
| Fishing boats#            | Apprehende d/ Imprisoned | 74         |         60 | 68         | 83         | 164         | 71          | 51          |          80 |
| Fishing boats#            | Released                 | NIL        |         57 | NIL        | NIL        | 159         | 87          | -           |          42 |
| Indian civilian prisoners | Released*                | 06         |         04 | 02         | 07         | -           | -           | 86          |          72 |

(# Pakistan has not acknowledged the number of fishing boats in its custody .)

(* This number also includes prisoners and fishermen arrested in previous years and not released earlier. )

Most of the fishermen belong to the state of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. However, separate state wise details are not available immediately.

As for Prisoners of War, as per available information there are 74 Missing Defence Personnel (MDP) that are believed to be in Pakistan's custody but whose   presence   has   not   been   acknowledged   so   far   by   Pakistan.   The

Government   has   raised   the   matter   with   the   Government   of   Pakistan   on numerous occasions, including at high levels. A Committee of kin of the MDP visited jails in Pakistan in 2007 but could not find evidence of their presence. However,   Government   continues   to   raise   this   matter   with   Government   of

Pakistan. (d)           Government has been consistently taking up with the Government of Pakistan, including through diplomatic channels the matter of early release and repatriation of all Indian prisoners, including fishermen along with their boats. As a result of Government's efforts, a total of 508 Indian fishermen and 07 civilian prisoners were released by Pakistan in the year 2017. This includes 145 fishermen who were released and repatriated on 29 December 2017. Pakistan has also confirmed that 146 fishermen would be released on 8 January 2018. In case of Sri Lanka, the fishermen issues have been raised at the highest level including by the Prime Minister with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister during the latter's visit to India in November 2017. External Affairs Minister had also raised the matter with the Sri Lankan President and Prime Minister during her visit to Colombo earlier this year. This also figured in EAM's discussion with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka during the latter's visit to New Delhi in September 2017. Following the 2+2 initiative in November 2016 when the Foreign and Fisheries Ministers of the two countries met in New Delhi, a bilateral Joint   Working   Group   (JWG)   mechanism   was   institutionalized   to   address   the fishermen issues. It was also agreed that Ministers for Fisheries of the two countries meet every six months to review the progress. So far three rounds of the JWG meeting have been held. The 3 rd   meeting of the JWG and the 2 nd Ministerial meeting held on 13 October and 14 October 2017 respectively in New Delhi took stock of the measures taken by both sides to address the fishermen issues pending a permanent solution. As a result of Government's efforts 25 fishermen were released by Sri Lanka on 28 and 29 December 2017. Government   continues   to   pursue   the   case   of   remaining   prisoners, including fishermen, for their early release and return to India.

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