Pakistan captures 7 boats with 38 crew on board

Pakistan Marine Security Agency is learnt to have captured seven Indian fishing boats with 38 crew on board belonging to Okha and Porbandar, which had reportedly strayed into their waters late on Tuesday night. The capture, said to have happened Tuesday night, comes on the day US warned Pakistan against escalating hostilities with India given President Barack Obama’s visit on January 26.

Manish Lodhari, secretary of Gujarat chapter of National Fish Workers Forum, said they had got confirmation from Pakistan Fish Forum that seven Gujarat boats with 38 crew on board and which had reached Karachi.  He further said he was likely to get names and other details of boats by Thursday morning.  Kaushik Thakar, superintendent of fisheries at Porbandar, said he had also received the messages of abduction of seven boats off Jakhau coast.