Friday, March 18 2005 22:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Vadodara: Pakistan Government has agreed to release 529 Indian fishermen from Pakistani jails through Wagah border on March 21, the president of Indian Fishermen Association Veljibhai Masani told sources in Vadodara on phone tonight (March 18, 2005).

He said that the Director of External Affairs Ministry has informed him about Pakistan's decision to release these fishermen languishing in jails there for the past one year.

Confirming this, Gujarat officials told sources that the fishermen would be released on March 21.

Pakistan had released 266 fishermen from Pakistani Jails on January 6 this year.

At present there are about 826 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails while 186 boats were also seized by them.

The members of the Association and other fishermen from different organisations had staged a daylong 'dharna' in Delhi yesterday demanding release of the fishermen along with their boats, Masani added.