Twelve Indian nationals, including 11 fishermen, were today released from a prison in the southern port city of Karachi, officials said.
All the 12 had been arrested on charges of violating Pakistan’s maritime and land boundaries. They were being held at Malir Jail in Karachi.
They were to have been freed along with 442 other Indian prisoners who were repatriated in August-September but their release was held up due to delays in verifying their identity.
After being freed from jail, the Indians set off for the eastern city of Lahore in a bus escorted by policemen.
They will cross over to India at the Wagah border post on Tuesday, officials of the Indian High Commission said.
The 11 fishermen said they had been held in jail for almost three years even though they had completed their prison terms long ago.
Pakistan and India arrest scores of fishermen every year on charges of illegally entering each other’s Exclusive Economic Zones.
In recent months, Pakistan has freed hundreds of Indian fishermen who were being held in jail even after completing their prison terms.
This was done after two Pakistani NGOs petitioned the Supreme Court for their release.
