HYDERABAD: Fishermen plan protest against contract system
Bureau Report
HYDERABAD, April 16: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum has announced a phase-wise movement for abolition of the contract system.
Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Saturday, the Sanghar president of the forum, Mr Pir Bux Mallah, general secretary Ayub Mallah and Hussain Mallah appealed to Pir Sahib Pagaro that the district was his power base and the fishermen had always voted for his candidates in elections, therefore, he should use his influence in abolition the contract system.
They said the contract system at all ponds of the Chotiari dam existed for years and poor fishermen were being subjected to inhuman excesses by contractors.
They said they were being paid only nominal rates for the fish catch and were not even allowed to take fish for their own consumption.
They said the forum had started struggle for the rights of fishermen which further increased tyranny of the contractors.
The leaders of the forum said on Thursday, contractor Asif Nizamani who had come in a launch with his armed henchmen had cut all nets of fishermen and destroyed fishing equipment in Phulel and Ranto villages near Seeri pond.
They said the activists of the forum were made the main target by the contractors.
They appealed to the Sindh government, political parties and social welfare organizations to play their due role in abolition of the contract system in Sindh.
They said if the system was not abolished they would launch a consistent struggle against the system from next month.
They said a five-member committee headed by the central president of the forum, Mohammad Ali Shah, had been appointed which would call on Pir Saheb Pagara and the Sindh governor and urged them to abolish the contract system and introduce license system for catching fish.
They said the fishermen were paid cash amount for one forth of the total fish catch according to the rates fixed by the contractors.
SPSC: The controller of examinations of the Sindh Public Service Commission on Friday announced the names of candidates who were interviewed by the commission for the posts of lecturer commerce (men and women) BPS-17 in education and literacy department.
The commission found seven men and six women candidates fit and recommended their names to the government of Sindh for appointment.
The controller announced that pre-interview written test for posts of lecturer Islamic culture, English, computer science, zoology and chemistry in the education and literacy department, scheduled to be held on April 19 and 20 will now be held on May 3 and 4 in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur centres according to choice of candidates given in the application form.
