200 Indian fishermen and three other civilians were released by Pakistan and handed over to the Border Security Forces (BSF) authorities at the Joint Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border, an official said on Saturday.
According to the official, the fishermen and civilians crossed to India at around 1 a.m. (IST) via a land transit route using ‘Emergency Travel Certificates’ issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
The fishermen were held by the Pakistani authorities after their boats allegedly slipped into the country's territorial waters in the Arabian Sea.
The move came after Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday announced that his country will release 200 Indian fishermen and three civilians.
The official said that the medical examination of the fishermen was been conducted by a team of Indian doctors after their repatriation.
As soon as the fishermen stepped on Indian soil, they bowed and kissed the land as a gesture to show their love for their motherland.