Fishermen caught inbetween the India-Pakistan rivalry

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Karachi, Pakistan: In Pakistan's port city of Karachi, every day a group of fishermen go out into the waters where they are more likely to come across their best catch. Unfortunately, they also end up getting caught in the rivalry between India and Pakistan.

This water body, where they sail in daily, lies between the borders of two fierce South-Asian rivals, India and Pakistan.

The fishermen, lacking any physical boundary or proper markings to guide them, often cross to the other side of the border. It is known that recently, the governments have been providing them with the GPS navigational systems. Still there are more than hundred fishermen living their days inside the jails at any given time. The hostile relationship between the two countries has complicated the process of their release, further.

One of the Indian fishermen, who got released after spending almost 9 months in the custody, tells that he is very happy as he is finally going to see his family after such a long gap. Though, he adds, that he wants to request the Indian government to take an immediate action to acknowledge the rights of his Pakistani counterparts as well.

It will not be even considered as surprising to say that spending a few months in the custody is quite a normal phenomenon for the fishermen clans, on both the sides.

The term spent in the jails, can actually be extended without any prior warning. For instance, on the Pakistani side, Hazarat's son has been in the Indian custody for almost three years. Her son left, when he was only 15, on a fishing expedition against Hazarat's wishes. The mother has not seen the face of her son since.

Though, both the governments struck a deal last year, permitting the release of the fishermen within two weeks, Hazarat is yet to see her son's arrival. (The news is brought to you by NewsGram in association with VOA)