Pakistani maritime authorities have arrested 50 Indian fishermen and seized nine boats after they strayed into its territorial waters near Karachi port.

"These fishermen were fishing in nine boats which have been taken into custody as well. They would be produced before a magistrate on Friday for further investigations," an official of the Pakistan Maritime security forces said yesterday.

The Indian fishermen were arrested two days after the Pakistan fisherfolk forum claimed that Indian naval ships had slipped into Pakistani waters near the sir creek area off Thatta and taken into custody around two dozen Pakistani fishermen and whisked them away to an unknown destination.

Till early last year, poor Pakistani and Indian fishermen were regularly arrested by maritime forces of both countries on charges of violating territorial water boundaries. But since then such incidents had reduced due to an understanding between the two neighbours.