RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2149
TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2021
FIRING ON INDIAN FISHERMEN BY PAKISTANI COAST GUARD
†2149. SHRI VISHAMBHAR PRASAD NISHAD:
CH. SUKHRAM SINGH YADAV:
Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state :
(a) whether it is a fact that many Indian fishermen have died in the firing by Pakistani coast guards on their fishing boat when they went for fishing in the Arabian sea;
(b) the details of the incidents occurred during the last three years;
(c) the steps taken by Government after above incidents; and
(d) whether any kind of financial assistance is being provided to the dependents of the people killed in such incidents ?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) to (d) From time to time, Indian fishermen along with their boats are apprehended by Pakistani authorities for allegedly fishing in Pakistani waters. The Government raises the matter of apprehension of Indian fishermen and their fishing boats with Pakistan at official levels.
The Government lodges strong protest with the Government of Pakistan on all reported instances of unprovoked attacks on Indian fishing boats by Pakistani agencies. On 08 November 2021, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned a senior diplomat of the High Commission for Pakistan, New Delhi and lodged a strong protest regarding an incident of unprovoked firing upon an Indian fishing boat by Pakistani agencies on 6 November 2021, which resulted in the death of one Indian fisherman and serious injury to another. The Government of Pakistan was also called upon to conduct an inquiry into the incident and to instruct its forces to refrain from such acts of unprovoked firing. The Government continues to reiterate to the Government of Pakistan to consider the issue of fishermen from a humanitarian and livelihood perspective.
The Government attaches the highest priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen.
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