<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Families of 197 fishermen from Gujarat&rsquo;s coastal districts, who have remained detained in Pakistani jails since the COVID-19 period, reached the state secretariat in Gandhinagar on Monday to submit a memorandum seeking their immediate release.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The fishermen, most of them from the Somnath and Junagadh districts, were allegedly apprehended by Pakistan&rsquo;s maritime security agencies after inadvertently crossing the international maritime boundary while fishing nearly six years ago.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The delegation comprised family members from fishing villages across Una taluka, Kodinar, Diu and adjoining coastal belts, many of whom travelled more than 1,000 kilometres to place their grievances before the state government.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the families, repeated representations over the past six years have failed to yield any concrete outcome, even as the detainees continue to languish in various Pakistani prisons.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Representatives of the fishermen said that during the pandemic period, several boats from the Gujarat coast lost direction at sea due to weather conditions, resulting in the fishermen unknowingly straying into Pakistani waters.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">They were subsequently detained by the Pakistan Navy and have since remained incarcerated. &ldquo;If the government can make efforts to bring back Indians stranded abroad, why are strong diplomatic steps not being taken for fishermen who are prisoners across the border?&rdquo; a family member questioned during the submission of the memorandum.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The families met Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani and sought an appointment with Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">They urged the state government to pursue the matter with the Union Government on humanitarian grounds and press for expedited dialogue with Pakistan. The memorandum also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene to ensure the fishermen&rsquo;s return to their families.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Families under severe conditions</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Several family members highlighted the severe economic and emotional distress caused by the prolonged detention of the primary breadwinners. With no stable source of income, many households are struggling to survive, children&rsquo;s education has been disrupted, and elderly parents and wives continue to live under sustained psychological stress.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">While assurances have been offered at various levels in the past, the families said the absence of a clear timeline has deepened frustration and despair.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bharatkumar Vaghjibhai, Sarpanch of Rajpara village in Una taluka of Somnath district, said the delegation of around 35 people was allowed to send only five representatives to meet the minister.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;We came to meet Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Jitu Vaghani regarding nearly 197 Gujarati fishermen detained in Pakistan. We were only able to meet Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, who gave us barely three minutes despite our long journey. He said he would speak to the central government and then asked us to leave,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bharatkumar also appealed for the appointment of a fisheries minister from a coastal region, stating that issues faced by fishing communities require an understanding rooted in lived experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Manu Vaghela, Sarpanch of Paldi village in Una taluka, told Benefit News that the issue has been raised repeatedly without any response. &ldquo;It has been six years since fishermen from coastal areas were captured in Pakistan, yet they have still not been released. These fishermen have families who are barely surviving, with their children and wives having no source of income. We are urging Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Minister Parshottam Solanki to look into this matter,&rdquo; he said.</span></p>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Leelaben, a resident of Paldi village, said families spent between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 each to travel to Gandhinagar. &ldquo;No one listens to poor people like us. When it comes to seeking votes, the government reaches out to us, but now we are not even allowed to enter government buildings. We submitted our application; now it is up to the government whether it takes up our issue or not,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">She further added that the families were determined to continue their struggle as the detained fishermen were facing a life-and-death situation. &ldquo;When it comes to seeking votes, the government reaches out to poor people. It is we, the poor, who brought you to power. Rich people and leaders get time to meet officials, but we are not even allowed to enter government buildings,&rdquo; she told Benefit News.&nbsp;<br><br></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Among the fishermen whose details were shared by family members in Gandhinagar are Manusina Kamadiya and Ashwin Mala (33) from Kanzotar near Kodinar; Manu Meraman (60) and Ramu Naza (50) from Panderi; Mangesh Bambhaniya (27), Uka Ziva (60), Ashok Bambhaniya (25) and Manish Bambhaniya (24) from Paldi; Vikram Deygard, Bizal Karsan (60), Ashvin Bizal and Ransinh Solanki (45) from Kob; Naresh Devsinh (28) and Mansukh Makvana (31) from Khatriwala; Rameshsina (40), Karsan Ram Parmar (35), Manu Govind Bambhaniya (33), Ajeet (20) and Banzi Pasa Bambhaniya from Khand; Lakhabhai Vanj from Lerka; Dinesh Solanki (34), Bhautik Solanki (24), Kacharbhai Solanki (46), Aravind Chudasama (37), Kanabhai Bambhaniya (34), Lakhaman Solanki (56), Kanabhai Chudasama (48), Bhagat Bambhaniya (36) and Ramesh Maru (41).</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Family members said the list of all 197 detained fishermen had earlier been submitted to both the state and central governments. The issue has also been raised in Parliament by Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani, but the families said this has yet to translate into the fishermen&rsquo;s release.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Officials assured the delegation that efforts were being made at the government level to secure the fishermen&rsquo;s freedom. However, the families reiterated their demand for a clear and defined timeline, stating that after six years of uncertainty, assurances without outcomes were no longer sufficient.</span></div>

Six years on, coastal families press govt for release of detained fishermen

Voices Unheard on 197 Guj Fishermen in Pakistan

Six years on, coastal families press govt for release of detained fishermen

December 23, 2025 | 09:23 IST