Coast guards of India, Pak to hold talks on jailed fishermen

During the talks scheduled on July 11, Directors General of the two forces will also hold discussions to evolve a joint cross-border fishing mechanism under which the two countries would take a lenient view towards each other's fishing communities, sources said here.

They said the talks were earlier scheduled for the first week of July but were later postponed.

The talks come close on the heels of the two sides holding parleys to address issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek.

Coast Guard DG Vice Admiral M P Murlidharan and MSA DG Rear Admiral Waseem Akram will represent the two countries at the talks.

The sources said though there should not be many expectations about the outcome of the talks, it will help the two sides to engage each other and discuss issues faced by the two forces in guarding their maritime boundaries.

There is a hotline between the Directors General of the two agencies through which they talk to each other and discuss issues.

A large number of Indian fishermen and around 100 of their fishing boats are in Pakistan's custody after they were arrested in that country's territorial waters. India has also apprehended Pakistani fishermen who crossed over to Indian side as there is no proper demarcation of the maritime boundary.

India has significantly stepped up its vigil along the maritime boundary with Pakistan after a fishing vessel was used by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists to sneak into India and carry out strikes in Mumbai in November 2008.