New Delhi: Congress leader Shakti Singh on Friday demanded pro-active measures from the government to bring back Indian fishermen lodged in Pakistani jails even after they had completed their sentence. Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Gohil said that a 44-year-old fisherman, Nanuram Kamaliya, died in a Pakistani jail days after completing his sentence. “The fisherman was picked up by Pakistan Marine on Dec 9, 2018. According to their law, the maximum sentence which can be awarded for entering into their waters is three months. Nanuram completed his sentence in Jan 16, 2019. We failed to bring him back to the country. He died in Pakistani jail on February 3,” he said. The Congress lawmaker said the family had not received the body of the fisherman yet. “It’s been over one and a half month but the government has not brought his mortal remains back to the country,” he said. Gohil said that as many as 580 fishermen from Gujarat alone were lodged in Pakistani jails. He asked the government to look at the way human rights were violated in Pakistan. Gohil gave the example of Jayanti Bhai, whose body was brought back to India 46 days after his death in a Pakistani prison. He asked the government to take all possible measures including diplomacy “and even use the iron hand” to bring back Indian fishermen from Pakistani jails. UNI ASU MR
