KARACHI, March 14: The law-enforcing agencies on Thursday brought the 13-day blockade of the Karachi Fish Harbour channel to an end by ordering the waiting fishing vessels to leave the harbour for their onward journey.
Hundreds of fishing vessels were forced to stay at the harbour’s channel when a group of fishermen protesting against the death of a fellow fisherman at the Mekran coast a few days back refused to leave the harbour.
They also stopped the landing of fish-catch transported from Balochistan by sea and road, halting fishing business completely. The blockade came to end as a result of a joint strategy adopted by the Fishermen Cooperative Society, the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority and a law enforcement agency.
The operation began at 8am in the presence of the law-enforcement agencies and the officials of the FCS and the KFHA and continued till evening. The Nazims of Keamari and Baba Bhit islands were also present.
The protesting fishermen, who had been insisting on the arrest of Balochistan fisheries official responsible for the firing incident and an end to “extortion” money, offered no resistance as they were told that the official responsible for the firing incident had been arrested and a compensation amounting to Rs200,000 would be paid to the heirs of the deceased by the Balochistan authorities.
Talking to this reporter, FCS official Haji Ghazanfar Ali Boota said normal fishing activities resumed at the harbour after law-enforcing agencies removed the blockade of the channel on Thursday morning.
Over 100 fishing boats were removed from the channel till the evening and were allowed to sail as they had already been issued Port Clearance (PCs) except the Balochistan-based boats for security reasons.
The Sindh government has already imposed a ban on the sale of seafood transported from Balochistan in Karachi market.
According to Commodore Tayyeb Naqvi, large catch worth Rs 5 million was received on Thursday. The catch included shrimps valued at Rs 3.5 million.
Meanwhile, Sindh minister for agriculture and fisheries Hasan Ali Chaniho has said the fishing dispute between Sindh and Balochistan would be resolved soon in an amicable manner.
It is also learnt that the Sindh government would also give compensation to the family of the deceased and the injured fishermen.
The Sindh government has lodged a strong protest with the Balochistan government over the killing of the fisherman and demanded a probe into the incident.
Meanwhile, the president of the Mole-holders Association, Haji Babu Ismail urged the federal government to end the fishing dispute between the Balochistan and Sindh provinces as it had been is lingering on for over two decades.
He said the dispute had caused immense damage to the government and the fishermen and it had only served the interests of a privileged mafia.
A spokesman of the Mahigeer Action Committee said the committee was holding a general meeting on Friday morning at the KPT ground near the harbour to announce their future line of action.
The spokesman said the government must ensure protection of fishermen while fishing at Mekran coast after they were issued licences.
KARACHI, March 14: The law-enforcing agencies on Thursday brought the 13-day blockade of the Karachi Fish Harbour channel to an end by ordering the waiting fishing vessels to leave the harbour for their onward journey.
