KARACHI - Pakistani authorities on Thursday released a total of 89 Indian fishermen from Malir district jail. They were arrested by the Maritimes Security Agency (MSA) from the sea for allegedly entering into the Pakistani territory while fishing. Representatives of the civil society and NGOs, working on fishers community, reached the jail to receive them. According to the NGOs, there were 341 Indian fishermen, detained in the Pakistani jails, who were arrested at different occasions allegedly crossing the Pakistani sea border. After the release of 89 Indian fishermen, 252 Indians are still detained in the Pakistani jails. The NGOs informed that as many as 212 Indian fishermen are under trial while 40 others have completed their detention period, but waiting to receive their release orders, the jail authorities have already received clearance regarding their citizenship of India. In the same day of their release, the fishermen left for Lahore by two buses arranged by a non-governmental organisation, Saiban Welfare Organisation. They are likely to reach to Lahore on Friday morning wherein they would be handed over to Indian authorities at the Wahga border. BM Kutti and Shujauddin Qureshi of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler), Saeed Baloch, Talib Kachi and Sami Memon of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) presented gifts to the released fishermen. Justice (Retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid was also present on the occasion. Some of the released fishermen belong to Kachh Gujrat who have close relatives in Karachi and few families of Kachhi community reached the gate to see them off with gifts. 'We are very happy to be released but we strongly appeal to the governments of both the countries to maintain their friendly attitude, and to get released the innocent detained-fishermen of both the countries, said the released-fishermen while talking to the media representatives. They thanked the Pakistani authorities for resuming friendly relations with India saying that they were very much hopeful for the release of other detained innocent fishermen, who are in the jails of both the countries. 'Fishermen of both the sides have been suffering, as despite the fact that they have completed their detention period but not being released due to political disputes between both the countries, they added. They again requested both the countries to gear up the process to set release the innocent inmates of both the countries as soon as possible so as to sustain friendly relations between the two countries.