‘26 Indian fishermen died in Pak custody in last 10 years’: RTI

“On March 17 this year, Vinod Laxman Kol, a fisherman from Maharashtra’s Palghar died successful a Pakistan jailhouse and his mortal remains were handed implicit to his household members lone connected May 1. Suresh Nathu Solanki, a fisherman hailing from Gir Somnath territory of Gujarat died successful a Pakistan jailhouse connected September 5,” Desai told The Indian Express. The activistic had besides sought names of fishermen who died successful Pakistan jails, day of their deaths and day connected which their mortal remains were repatriated to India. However, the precocious commissioner declined to stock that information. “Information sought is exempt nether Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act 2005,” Dinesh Singh Rawat, 2nd caput and Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) successful the Indian High Commission successful Islamabad, stated successful his reply dated September 26. Section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act provides for exemption from disclosure of accusation which “relates to idiosyncratic accusation the disclosure of which has nary narration to immoderate nationalist enactment oregon interest, oregon which would origin unwarranted penetration of the privateness of the idiosyncratic unless the Central Public Information Officer oregon the State Public Information Officer oregon the appellate authority, arsenic the lawsuit whitethorn be, is satisfied that the larger nationalist involvement justifies the disclosure of specified information.”

India and Pakistan person disputes implicit the alignment of the notional International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) astatine the Arabian Sea disconnected Kutch seashore successful Gujarat. Therefore, Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) apprehends a fewer 100 fishermen each twelvemonth for allegedly crossing implicit to the Pakistan broadside of the IMBL. Similarly, each year, a fewer twelve Pakistani fishermen are arrested by the Indian authorities for allegedly violating territorial waters of India. Of late, it has been observed that it takes galore weeks for mortal remains of fishermen to beryllium repatriated from Pakistan. “In the lawsuit of the Gujarat fisherman who died successful September, his nationality had already been verified. Yet his assemblage has not been handed implicit to his household members a period aft his death. This is simply a usurpation of quality rights,” said Desai.

A elder fisheries serviceman successful authorities authorities said: “The fisherman’s household reached retired to america a fewer days ago, seeking accusation astir his reported decease successful Pakistan jail. However, we person received nary ceremonial connection from the authorities of India.”