KARACHI: Indian team calls for soft policy on fishing
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 8: Head of the Indian delegation J.J. Parmar has called for adopting a policy of restraint toward the fishermen caught by the coastal authorities for transgressing the sea-limits.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Parmar who was flanked by the leader of Indian fishermen association, Velgi Bai, and other members of the team, said a positive trend was noticed after the Agra summit as the coastal authorities in both the countries had stopped indiscriminate arrests of fishermen.
He said this policy should continue in the larger interest of fishermen. At the same, he stressed the need for finding a permanent solution to the problem.
“It is a human problem and be tackled soon,” he said, adding longer period of detention of fishermen creates economic miseries, as well as mental agonies for the affected families.”
He said it was a matter of great satisfaction that the leaders of both the countries had shown a keen interest on the issue after the Agra summit.
In this regard, Mr Parmar said media should also play a positive by highlighting the problems of the fishermen, particularly the problems being faced by the detained fishermen.
In reply to a question, he said: “Whenever they come here, they feel at home” because of the Fishermen Cooperative Society which had always been playing a supportive role and had shown keen interest in the welfare of the fishermen community.
Mr Parmar who has been heading Indian fisheries delegation since 1998 said, “we have never faced pro-blems here because of the cooperative attitude of the FCS.”
A seven-member Indian delegation arrived here on Sunday to make arrangements for the repatriation of 196 Indian fishermen.
