An Indian fishing boat was fired upon and later sunk by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) last week off Gujarat coast. While six of the seven fishermen were rescued by the Indian coast guard, one is missing and presumed dead.
The incident took place on January 17 at 7 am when a PMSA vessel fired at the Indian fishing boat and later rammed and sunk it along with the fisherman 64 nautical miles south west off Mitha port.
India raised the matter with Islamabad on January 19 through a note verbale sent from Ministry of External Affairs.
In the note verbale, New Delhi said, "India condemned in the strongest term such deplorable and unprofessional act by PMSA of firing at a fishing vessel and later ramming and sinking it".
"Such acts are in contravention of all international laws, conventions and the established humanitarian norms and practices," it said.
New Delhi called on Pakistan to "investigate the heinous act and instruct" its forces to "desist from such acts immediately".
This is first such serious incident coming to light in over three years. In 2015 one Indian fisherman was killed in Pakistani firing.
The development comes a day after it emerged that Indian staff continued to be harassed by Pakistani Agencies in Islamabad. On January 15, 2 Indians staff from Indian mission in Islamabad were stopped and questioned by Pakistan agency personnel. In December 2018, 4 incidents of harassment of Indian diplomats came to light.
The issue of fishermen has been one of the key issues India has been raising with Pakistan. According to the Indian government, 418 fishermen who are Indian or believed-to-be Indian are in Pakistan’s custody. Since 2014, India got back 1699 Indian fishermen and 57 Indian fishing boats from Pakistan.
Speaking in the Parliament on the issue of Indian fishermen in Pakistani custody, the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs General VK Singh HAD said, "Government regularly takes up the issue of early release and repatriation of Indian fishermen along with their boats with the Pakistan authorities."
