��������

KARACHI: India has released 55 Pakistani fishermen arrested for allegedly violating maritime boundaries between the two neighboring countries, Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation charity said on Sunday.

The fishermen, freed from Indian jails, returned home via the Wagah border crossing between Lahore and Amritsar before being handed over to the Karachi-based charity for onward transport to their hometowns in southern Pakistan.

“Under the instructions of Edhi Foundation Chairman Faisal Edhi, all the released fishermen will be transported from Lahore to Karachi in special Edhi vehicles,” the foundation said in a statement.

The Edhi Foundation, one of Pakistan’s largest humanitarian organizations, routinely coordinates logistics and welfare support for released prisoners and fishermen returning home after years of detention.

Pakistan and India frequently detain fishermen from each other’s countries for crossing into territorial waters, a common occurrence given that the maritime boundary in the Arabian Sea is not clearly demarcated. Many small fishing boats lack modern navigation systems, often leading to unintentional border violations and lengthy detentions.

In September, India released 14 Pakistani prisoners, including five fishermen, who were repatriated through the same border crossing. Earlier this year, in February, Pakistan released 22 Indian fishermen from Karachi’s Malir Jail as part of a reciprocal repatriation process.

The two South Asian rivals exchange lists of prisoners held in each other’s custody every year on Jan. 1 and July 1 under the 2008 Consular Access Agreement.

In the latest exchange this July, India shared the names of 366 civilian prisoners and 86 fishermen in its custody who are confirmed or believed to be Pakistani. Pakistan provided the names of 43 civilian prisoners and 211 fishermen believed to be Indian.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt on Oct. 13 for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war, the foreign office said on Sunday.

Egypt has said the peace summit aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability.”

The US president will lead the summit alongside Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi with leaders from more than 20 countries in attendance. No Israeli official is attending the forum. 

The United States, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire, a mutual exchange of hostages and prisoners, an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza and increased humanitarian aid. The ceasefire held for the third day on Sunday. 

“The Sharm el-Sheikh Summit is the result of the diplomatic efforts that began on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s 80th Session in New York last month,” the Pakistani foreign office said. 

“Prime Minister’s participation in the Summit reflects Pakistan’s historic, consistent, and unwavering support for the just cause of the Palestinian people for their right to self-determination as well as for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.”

The statement added that Pakistan hopes the Summit would pave the way for the “full Israeli withdrawal, protection of Palestinian civilians, an end to their displacement, release of prisoners, addressing of the prevailing grave humanitarian situation, as well as reconstruction of Gaza.”

“Pakistan also hopes that such efforts will contribute to a credible political process aimed at achieving an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders, in line with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative,” the foreign office said. 

Since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 170,000 injured in the Gaza war which has displaced over 1.9 million people. The conflict has left much of the enclave in ruins and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.