Women from Gujarat and Diu’s fishing communities gathered today in Ahmedabad to make an emotional plea to the Central Government, urging decisive action to secure the release of their family members held in Pakistan’s Malir Jail. Many of the women broke down in tears as they described the hardships they face, expressing deep disappointment at the lack of progress in bringing their loved ones home.
Currently, 217 Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat and Diu, are imprisoned in Pakistan. Among them, 53 have been detained in 2021 and 130 in 2022.
The women revealed how the absence of their families’ primary earners has pushed them into dire financial straits.
“We are struggling to sustain our families, and even our children are suffering—they’re not getting a proper education,” said Bharati Solanki, one of the affected women.
Ramila Bamania and Dhamiben echoed these sentiments, sharing their stories of survival in the face of adversity. The women emphasised that, without help, their situation would only worsen. “We’ve been waiting for years, but nothing changes,” Ramila said tearfully.
A Letter To Jaishankar
Alongside the women, community leaders, including Jatin Desai, Usman Sherasiya, Jivan Jungi, and Chagan Bamania, have written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging the government to exert pressure on Pakistan for the fishermen’s release.
They called for immediate measures, such as sending Indian doctors to assess the health of the prisoners and reviving the India-Pakistan Judicial Committee on Prisoners, which last met in 2013.
The families say that “the committee had previously played a key role in facilitating prisoner releases and addressing grievances”.
The families stressed the importance of establishing formal communication channels between the prisoners and their relatives, noting the mental toll of not knowing the wellbeing of their loved ones.
Jatin Desai said, “Arrested fishermen have the right to stay in touch with their families. The current lack of communication only adds to our pain.”
The bilateral Agreement on Consular Access (2008) mandates that both countries release and repatriate prisoners within one month of confirming their nationality and completing their sentences.
Despite this, the families claim that about 170 of the 217 detained fishermen, whose nationalities have been confirmed and sentences completed, remain in custody. Many have been imprisoned for 3–4 years, accused of crossing maritime borders inadvertently.
Families Flag Delay in Process
Families also criticised the delays in previous plans for releases. Pakistan had promised to release 100 fishermen in July 2023 and 35 in April 2024 but failed to do so without explanation.
The women called on the government to prioritise the release of not only the fishermen but also their confiscated boats—over 1,200 of which remain in Pakistan’s possession, each valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh.
The Ministry of External Affairs reported in December 2024 that 209 fishermen from various states and union territories remain imprisoned in Pakistan.
Gujarat leads with 134 detainees, followed by 24 from Daman and Diu, and smaller numbers from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.
The families are hoping that 2025 will bring long-awaited reunions, ending their years of suffering. “This is about humanity,” said Bharati. “Let this New Year bring our loved ones back to us.”
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