09 November 2004	Tuesday	25 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 8: The Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians on Monday submitted three bills in the Sindh Assembly Secretariat which pertain to protection of the rights of fisherfolk, eradication of unemployment, and for the welfare of craftsmen and artisans.

These bills, the PPP-P expect, will come up on a private members' day during the assembly session which the opposition had requisitioned to discuss the problem that had arisen owing to alleged victimization of fishermen by the rangers.

The requisition by the PPPP has also been endorsed the MMA and its parliamentary leader Maulana Umar Sadiq is among the 43 signatories.

"The Sindh Protection of Local Fishermen Bill 2004" has been moved by leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Murad Ali Shah, one of the two deputy leaders of the opposition, Dr. Sikander Mendhro, and Mr Mukesh Kumar Chawla.

Through this bill the PPP-P legislators have sought protection for the three million fishermen and their families spread all over Sindh whose main occupation and means of livelihood, for generations, is catching fish and selling it in the market.

The movers contended that recently there has been a practice that persons or entities whose primary means of living is not fishing, forcibly or under the patronage of the government of Sindh, have usurped the right of local traditional fishermen and have taken control of fishing in the public waters of Sindh.

They have also alleged that the government has miserably failed to protect the rights of the traditional fishermen of the province. Therefore, they believe that this legislation will make it illegal for persons or entities other than traditional fishermen to professionally engaged in fishing in public waters of Sindh.

The PPP-P had also raised the issue in the Senate and the matter was subsequently sent to the committee dealing with the interior ministry. The matter was expected to come up again after Eid.