Trespassing of maritime boundaries is common among Indian and Pakistani fishermen. Most violations occur due to the absence of a physical boundary and lack of navigational tools for small-time fishermen. Consequently, hundreds of fishermen are arrested by the Coast Guards of both nations each year. Obtaining their release is a difficult and time-consuming process, owing to the hostile relations between the two nations.
As a result, a large number of fishermen are still languishing in jails, on both sides of the border. The Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Vice Admiral M. P. Muralidharan, and his Pakistani counterpart, the Director General of Maritime Security Agency, Rear Admiral Waseem Akram, will meet in New Delhi from July 5 to 7 to hold discussions to create a system to prevent such trespassing.
The Director Generals will also focus on developing a joint cross-border fishing mechanism to ease fishing in the region and facilitate the early release of imprisoned fishermen.