Palghar, Maharashtra: Peace activists have urged Pakistan to release Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners before the upcoming Navratri festival, following India’s decision to free 48 Pakistani fishermen and 19 civilian prisoners on Monday.

According to journalist and peace activist Jatin Desai, 193 Indian fishermen remain in Pakistan’s Malir Jail, Karachi, including 18 from Maharashtra’s Palghar district. He highlighted that over 170 of them have already completed their sentences and had their nationality verified, yet continue to remain behind bars.

“Most of the detained fishermen are from Gujarat, and their families are anxiously waiting for their return,” Desai said. “Pakistan should reciprocate India’s gesture by releasing them before Navratri.”

The issue of fishermen being arrested for allegedly straying across the maritime boundary in the Arabian Sea has been a longstanding humanitarian concern between the two countries. The maritime boundary remains poorly demarcated, leading to routine arrests on both sides.

While prisoner exchanges and releases do occur periodically, activists say bureaucratic delays and political considerations often prolong detentions, even for those who have served their sentence. Human rights groups continue to call for a faster and more transparent mechanism for verifying nationalities and repatriating detainees.