Over 2,700 Indians repatriated from Pakistan since 2014, government says
New Delhi. More than 2,700 Indian nationals, including fishermen and civilian prisoners, have been brought back from Pakistan over the past decade following sustained diplomatic and consular efforts by the Indian government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on January 1.
In a statement, the MEA said that a total of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 71 Indian civilian prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. These returns were facilitated through regular bilateral mechanisms and consular engagement aimed at securing the release of Indians held in Pakistani jails, often for inadvertently crossing maritime or land borders.
The ministry added that the pace of repatriation has continued in recent years as well. Since 2023, Pakistan has handed over 500 Indian fishermen and 13 Indian civilian prisoners to India.
New Delhi has repeatedly raised humanitarian concerns over the detention of Indian nationals in Pakistan, particularly fishermen who often stray across poorly demarcated maritime boundaries in the Arabian Sea. The government has said it remains committed to ensuring the early release and safe return of all Indian nationals who are imprisoned or detained abroad.
