Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday has written to Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar urging the Central Government to expedite the release of 14 Indian fishermen detained by the Pakistan Navy, including seven fishermen from Tamil Nadu.
In his letter, CM Stalin highlighted that the fishermen were arrested on January 3, 2024, while fishing from Porbandar, Gujarat, and taken into custody along with their mechanized boats (Registration Numbers IND-GJ-25-MM-3458 and IND-GJ-25-MM-1582).
"It has been nearly 10 months since their incarceration, and there has been no communication regarding their status or the efforts being made towards their release. Their families are facing severe emotional and financial distress and are struggling to cope with the prolonged uncertainty of the arrested persons' release," Stalin wrote. Further, the CM said, the absence of the primary breadwinners of their families has made the lives of the dependent families miserable.
The Chief Minister urged the Union Government to engage with Pakistan through diplomatic channels to ensure the fishermen's immediate release on humanitarian grounds.
This appeal comes amid ongoing concerns over the repeated arrests of Indian fishermen by neighbouring nations. Stalin recently wrote another letter to Jaishankar, urging action for the release of over 100 Indian fishermen and their boats detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The issue of fishermen's detentions remains a significant challenge, particularly for Tamil Nadu, which has witnessed several such incidents over the years. Recently, 16 fishermen from Rameswaram were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy amid the longstanding dispute over fishing rights in international waters.