Asia/Pacific News
India Terrorist Boat Explosion May Have Been Bunker Smugglers
An association of Pakistani fishermen has challenged the Indian government's claim that an alleged boat explosion was linked to terrorism instigated by the Pakistani fishermen who operate in the disputed waters between the two countries, reports Pakistani media.
Indian media previously reported that a boat thought to be from Pakistan had been heading for international maritime borders last week, and was being pursued by the Indian Coast Guard on suspicions of terrorism until the vessel purportedly exploded.
The claims of an explosion and terrorism however, have been questioned as the colour of the flames from a photo taken by the coast guard suggests that the vessel was a bunker-smuggling vessel whose contents caught on fire.
The four people aboard the ship and the debris of the ship have not yet been recovered.
The association lashed out at Indian media and authorities, saying in addition to being unfairly blamed, there was little evidence of fishermen involvement.
"It is up to the Indian media and its chauvinist government as to how they link a small indigenous incident to Pakistan by blowing it out of proportion just to rule a country of over one billion people through anti-Pakistan sentiments," said Native Islanders Fishermen Association President Asif Bhatti.
"I just want to ask the Indian navy as well as its media and government whether an explosion will tear a wooden boat into pieces or burn it altogether?" he questioned.
Bhatti also claimed that the shape of the now-sunken boat did not match the curvature of Pakistani vessels, in addition to questioning the logic of a wooden ship being able to out-sail sophisticated coast guard vessels.
Fuel smuggling has also been a problem in Indonesia, where an official with the country's state-owned oil and gas company was arrested last year.
