Indian fisherman dies in Pakistan jail, had completed prison term

An Indian fisherman, identified as Babu, who was arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2022, tragically passed away in Karachi's prison on Thursday, as reported by sources to India Today TV. Despite having completed his sentence, Babu was not released by Pakistani authorities.

Babu’s death brings attention to the ongoing plight of 180 other Indian fishermen who remain imprisoned in Pakistan under similar circumstances, awaiting their release. This incident marks the eighth such death of an Indian fisherman in Pakistan over the last two years.

India has consistently raised concerns regarding the premature release of these detainees with Pakistan. In a related incident earlier this year, in April 2024, Vinod Laxman Koal, a fisherman from Maharashtra, passed away after being detained by Pakistani agencies for entering Pakistani waters in October 2022. Koal had suffered a paralysis attack on March 8, 2024, while in custody, and succumbed to his condition during treatment on March 17.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India, in a statement released on December 20, 2024, revealed that there are currently 209 Indian fishermen held in Pakistan. The breakdown includes 51 fishermen imprisoned since 2021, 130 since 2022, nine detained in 2023, and 19 more since 2024. Since 2014, a total of 2,639 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Pakistan.