Pakistan releases over 160 Indian fishermen: officials

Pakistan on Sunday released over 160 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture amid tensions with India over cross-border fire exchanges in recent weeks.

The authorities in the port city of Karachi freed a group of 164 Indian fishermen, including an eleven-year-old boy who was taken into custody with his uncle when they had intruded into Pakistani water for fishing.

Prime Ministers of the two countries agreed last month in a meeting in Ufa, Russia, that they will release all fishermen in two weeks. However the release was delayed for some days due to escalations along the border.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi had also agreed to reduce tensions along the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir and Working Boundary, the international border.

The two leaders had also agreed that Pakistan security adviser Sartaj Aziz will visit India to discuss several key issues including anti-terror cooperation.

The Indian fishermen are likely to be handed over to the Indian officials at the Wahga border on Monday.

Pakistan and India routinely catch fishermen who cross water boundaries for illegal fishing.

Groups working for the welfare of the fishermen say the fishermen mistakenly enter other's water as the two nuclear rivals have not yet reached an agreement on maritime boundaries.

The freed Indian fishermen told reporters that they had been treated well by the jail authorities in Pakistan. Endi