Indian prisoners cross Wagah
27 May, 2014
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| LAHORE: Indian fishermen standing in a queue to cross Wagah Border as Pakistani authorities handing over Indian fishermen to Indian authorities. |
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WAGAH: Pakistan on Monday handed over 150 Indian fishermen and another prisoner held for crossing the border to Indian authorities at the Wagah border.
Out of the 151 people handed over to the Border Security Force at the Wagah border, 150 were fishermen and one was a prisoner in Karachi jail who inadvertently crossed into Pakistan. They were brought to the Wagah Border from Karachi by buses. Talking to reporters, fisherman Dapu Teja said he learnt bead work in jail.
"I get Rs 60 per every piece I make and I know how to make bracelets, anklets, necklaces and key chains with beads," he said. Teja was on board a ship which allegedly crossed over into the Pakistani territory seven months ago.
He said there were seven people on the boat but only four were arrested by the Pakistan coastguards."They let the three older fishermen go back as they will have been a burden here due to their age," he said.
Another fisherman named Nanji Soma said: "I am an illiterate man good enough to catch fish only but my son will not be one. He is 10 years old now and goes to school. In my absence the fishermen community back home contributed for my poor family to keep sending him to school."
"Now I will go back and work again and also pay back my friends. I may get caught again as there are not clear boundaries marked in the sea to keep us from drifting into your country but it will not happen to my son," he said.
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