The Indian government has informed the Parliament that 211 Indian fishermen are presently lodged in the jails of Pakistan as of July 1, 2024 and that 139 belong to Gujarat. This alarming revelation sheds light on a long-standing issue affecting coastal communities.

This has been raised by Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil in the Parliament, where he expressed grave concerns over the plight of fishermen and the suffering of their families. Gohil criticised Pakistan for stopping postal communications which were earlier permitted to ensure that families knew about their relatives' condition.

"During the UPA government, postal correspondence ensured families stayed informed about the fishermen. However, this practice has stopped, leaving families without any means of communication. This is a violation of basic human rights," Gohil remarked.

The Gujarat coastline, which happens to share a maritime boundary with Pakistan, often witnesses fishers crossing the international maritime line unknowingly. These inadvertent crossings often lead to arrests by Pakistani maritime forces.

Only recently, seven Gujarati fishermen were detained by Pakistani forces, but the Indian Coast Guard promptly rescued them. But it has not been so in all cases, and many fishermen have been in jail for years.

Gohil also criticized the delay in addressing the plight of fishermen who remain jailed despite completing their sentences. He urged the government to appoint special legal counsel to speed up pending cases and negotiate their early release.

He further appealed for immediate diplomatic intervention, emphasizing the need for fair trials and timely repatriation of fishermen who inadvertently cross the maritime border.

Gohil called the situation dire, because not only were the lives of fishermen at stake, but it also increased the emotional and financial burden on the fishermen's families. Therefore, he demanded urgent action to ensure justice for the detained fishermen and relief to the suffering families.

This is a persistent issue, but it reminds us of the living difficulties that coastal communities face and how their livelihoods and rights are very insecurely protected.