M K Chaudhary, from the Fisheries department in Gandhinagar, who had led the delegation, said: “Of the 379 Indian boats, we were allowed to inspect only 181, of which 135 were in a repairable state. Although their engines had clogged after remaining in seawater for a long time, some of them can be brought back if released.”

He added that when they asked about the remaining 198 boats, the delegation was told that they had been auctioned. “S K Reddy, counsellor with the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, was accompanying us when the Pakistani authorities told us this. When we asked for details like the list of people to whom the boat had been auctioned and the amount of money they collected, the Pakistani authorities refused to furnish the details,” Chaudhary said.