Pakistan releases 113 Indian fishermen as Ramadan begins

Pakistan has released 113 Indian fishermen after India announced a similar gesture to mark the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

"We have released 113 Indian fishermen on the orders of the government," AFP quoted Pakistani prison chief Muhammad Hussain Sehto as saying on Thursday.

Muhammad Ali Shah, president of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, said "around 200" Pakistani fishermen are to be released by India.

The development came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi phoned his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday, offering Ramadan wishes and announcing the release of detained fishermen.

Modi’s goodwill gesture is seen as a bid to lower simmering tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pakistan and India have been locked in a war of rhetoric since Modi said on June 7 that "every now and then Pakistan keeps disturbing India, creates nuisance, promotes terrorism and such incidents keep recurring.”

Pakistan’s parliament on June 12 adopted a resolution, condemning Modi's "provocative and hostile" statement.

Due to the poor definition of India-Pakistan maritime border in the Arabian Sea, fishermen are frequently arrested along with their boats by both countries.

India and Pakistan have fought three major wars since 1947.

MRA/KA/HMV

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