Delegation visits Pak to assess repairs for seized boats

Indian boats seized by Pakistani authorities and anchored at Karachi port need repairs to be made sea-worthy before being brought back, an official of Gujarat Fishermen Association said today.

A nine-member delegation, headed by Gujarat Fishermen Association vice president Veljibhai Masani, visited Karachi on July 19 and 20 to inspect and verify the boats which were ordered to be released by the Pakistani authorities.

Of these boats, four need major repairs while the other 53 need some minor repairs, Masani told PTI today.

"The Director General of the Pakistani Marine Security Agency (PMSA) took us to the port at Karachi for inspecting and verification of these boats seized for illegally entering Pakistani waters," he said.

A delegation of owners of these 57 boats will have to be sent to Pakistan for repairs of the boats under their supervision, said state fisheries department deputy director P C Malli, who was also a part of the delegation.