The Indian Fishermen Association has alleged that Indian fishermen, languishing in Pakistani jails, are being treated badly.
"We have received letters from these fishermen narrating their harassment by Pakistani jail authorities," IFA president Veljibhai Masani told PTI in Vadodara on Wednesday.
The letters, dated August 10, are written in Gujarati and posted from Quaidabad Landhi in Karachi, he said.
One fisherman, Kamlesh P Rupadiya, has alleged that Pakistani jail authorities started harassing and beating them after a media report that Pakistani persons and fishermen in Indian jails were being beaten up and harassed.
Pakistani newspapers and electonic media reported on July 29 that condition of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails was not good, Rupadiya claimed, requesting Masani to verify the media report because of which they were suffering.
Masani said he received four letters, in which the fishermen described how they were forced to work from 7 am to 5 pm daily without any lunch break, while the food was served to them when they were working.
"Because of the harassment and beating, condition of 12 Indian fishermen is deteriorating," the letters said, adding that everyday two to three fishermen were falling sick.
According to IFA, there are 370 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails. The government of India should secure the release of these fishermen and their 203 boats, seized by the marine security agency of Pakistan, it added.
