27 October 2004	Wednesday	12 Ramazan 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: The People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) MNAs have demanded withdrawal of Rangers personnel from the coastal belt of Sindh and condemned them for their "brutalities" against the poor fishermen.

Speaking at a news conference here on Tuesday, PPP MNAs Dr Fehmida Mirza, Shamshad Sattar Bachani, Ruqayya Khanum Soomro, Rubina Qaimkhani and MPA Farzana Raja, alleged that the Rangers had set up pickets in coastal area of Badin and where officials did not allow the fishermen to carry their catch.

Dr Mirza said during the Zia era, the Rangers were given control over one lake. However, she said, gradually the Rangers occupied all lakes and creeks in Badin and other coastal areas of Sindh. She said the Rangers officials purchased the catch from these fishermen on nominal price and sold them in Karachi and other urban areas on exorbitant rates.

The PPP MNA said instead of performing their duties of providing protection to the people, the Rangers officials were busy in minting money. She alleged that the Rangers did not allow the fishermen to carry a small quantity of fish even for their home.

She said when some of the fishermen tried to resist the Rangers' actions and held protest demonstrations, their houses were raided and even the women family members were tortured. She further said some villagers caught two officials of Rangers for torturing the family of a fishermen and took them to a police station. However, she regretted, the police registered a case against the villagers and freed the Rangers' officials.

Dr Mirza said now the Rangers had started auctioning of contracts for selling the fish and recently a contract had been given to a party for Rs20 million. She alleged that contracts were being given to the favourites by the Rangers.