Pakistan has released 20 Indian fishermen and repatriated them via Wagah Border to India, confirmed a statement issued from the country's foreign ministry on Tuesday.
"The Government of Pakistan has released 20 Indian prisoners (fishermen) who have been repatriated via Wagah Border to India on 24 January. These prisoners have been released on completion of their sentence," the statement read.
Arunpal Singh, Protocol Officer at the Attari-Wagah border on Monday said that the fishermen were kept in Karachi's Landhi jail for four years.
"20 Indian fishermen repatriated by Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah border on Monday. They mistakenly entered the Pakistan territory in 2017, due to the lack of navigation, and were held captive in Karachi's Landhi jail for 4 years," Singh said.
Sunil, one of the fishermen to have come back to India, thanked the Indian government and the soldiers for bringing him back to the country after four years.
"I was there in the water. They came and caught me and took me away to Karachi. I was released by our government and am thankful to them and our soldiers who brought me back to my country. I have lived there for four years," he said.
Another fisherman, Bhavesh urged the government to bring back more such prisoners stuck there in Pakistan.
"I was released after four years. I request the Indian government to bring more of our prisoners back to the country who are stuck in Pakistan. I was kept in Landhi jail in Karachi," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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