Pakistan releases 219 Indian fishermen

Indian fisherman display their travel documents at the railway station in Karachi - AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday freed 219 Indian fishermen who had strayed into its waters, an official said, calling it a "goodwill gesture" ten days after a similar number were also released.

The fishermen, some of whom had been in jail for more than a year, will be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border, Sindh provincial official Mohammad Naseem Siddiqui told AFP.

A further 100 fishermen remain in prison, waiting for the Indian High Commission to confirm their nationality as they serve sentences of at least six months each, he said. 

Dozens of Indian and Pakistani fishermen are captured in the Arabian Sea each year after straying across maritime borders. 

They often languish in prison even after serving their sentences, as poor diplomatic relations between the bitter nuclear foes hamper bureaucracy.