KARACHI, March 13: An operation is going to be launched at the Karachi Fish Harbour on Thursday morning to clear the channel for free boat movement.
The harbour’s channel has been blocked for the last 12 days by a group of fishermen protesting against the killing of a Karachi fisherman and injuries to four others in an incident of firing by the Balochistan levies in its waters.
The protesting Sindh-based fishermen have resorted to a blockade, making it impossible for trawlers from Balochistan to enter or leave the Karachi Fish Harbour.
An official of the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) has confirmed that the operation will be jointly conducted by the FCS and the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) with the cooperation of a law enforcement agency and representatives of the Town and UCs Nazims.
The official also said that negotiations were being held with the protesting fishermen to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
The sources said that due to the situation the FCS was suffering losses on the commission it got from Balochistan’s fishermen on their catch lending. A 6.52% commission is charged on landing of the catch at the harbour, of which FCS’ share is 3.25%.
The situation has worsened with the seizure of 40 more Karachi-based trawlers recently along the Makran coast by the Gawadar-based Balochistan Coastal Development Authority.
MOOT: It has been further learnt that the higher authorities of both the provinces have taken a serious note of the current situation.
The chief secretary of Balochistan is coming to Karachi to meet his counter part and Karachi-based fisheries officials to discuss the fisheries-related issues and the current situation.
According to the sources, due to non-availability of fish- catch handling and storage facilities in Balochistan, fishermen bring around 30,000 to 40,000 kilograms of fish to the Karachi Fish Harbour daily for auction.
