Islamabad: Pakistan today (November 1) announced that it would release on Monday (November 3) 74 Indian fishermen who were in its custody in Karachi.

Pakistan Foreign Office officials were quoted as saying that the Indian fishermen would be released as part of measures announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in May in response to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's offer of friendship.

Earlier, Pakistan released 269 Indian fishermen held in Karachi prisons and linked release of the rest of 74 to the release of the 93 Pakistani fishermen held in Gujarat.

India has already conveyed to Pakistan its readiness to release the Pakistani fishermen who were expected to be set free after Pakistan diplomats in India provide them with passports.

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has sought permission for its officials to visit Gujarat on Monday (Nov 3) for issuing temporary passports to the Pakistani fishermen languishing in various jails in the state.

Meanwhile, 16 more Indian fishermen were taken into custody in two phases by Pakistani Coast Guard during the past few weeks.

They were expected to be released separately after Indian officials identified them.

The release of the fishermen on both sides followed as Pakistan accepted Indian proposals for a closer co-ordination between Coast Guards of both the countries as liberalization of rules for fishermen of both the countries to fish in their mutual waters.

PTI