NGO demands quick return of Indian fisherman's body from Pak morgue

Mumbai: The Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace & Democracy (PIPFPD) has appealed to the governments of Pakistan and India to ensure that the remains of a Gujarati fisherman, who died in prison in Pakistan, are repatriated to India as early as possible.

Fisherman Vaaga Chauhan died in a Karachi hospital on 22nd December 2015. He was from Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

PIPFPD's Jatin Desai said, "Chauhan was arrested earlier when his boat entered Pakistani waters. He was about 55 years old and had been ill for a few months before he passed away."

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ICICI Lombard "It is already more than a month since his body has been kept in Edhi Foundation's morgue. This delay is somehow the prevailing practice, because whenever an Indian or Pakistani fishermen die in the prison of the other country it takes a more than a month for the return of the body," he said.


PIPFPD strongly feels that this practice should be changed with immediate effect, and a decision is made that on humanitarian grounds the remains be sent to the native country by the next available flight.


PIPFPD cited details of several earlier cases. Bhikha Lakha Shival (35), an Indian fisherman of Junagarh district died in Karachi on December 19, 2013, but his body was repatriated to India on February 15, 2014.


Ramjibhai Vala died in Karachi in 2012 and his body was sent to India after 45 days. Nawaz Ali, a Pakistani fisherman died in Ahmedabad on September 8, 2012, and his body reached Pakistan after 25 days.


Dadubhai Makwana died in July 2013 in Karachi and his body came to India after 21 days. Kishore Bhagwan died in Karachi on February 4, 2014, and his corpse came to India on March 29. Arvind Vala, an Indian fisherman, died in Karachi on May 2, 2014, and his remains were sent to India on May 24.
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