KARACHI, April 17: The government has failed to overcome the leadership crisis in the Fishermen Cooperative Society which has been prevailing for more than eight months. The election for a new chairman, due since the election of the new board of directors on August 4 last year, could not be held due to differences among the government-nominated directors over a candidate.

Sources claimed that there were serious differences among the higher government authorities vis-à-vis the nomination of the FCS chairman, a key organization that manages seafood business at the fish harbour.

In a recent communication to the chief minister, the elected FCS directors have drawn his attention to the poor recovery position and maladministration in the Society due to the absence of an elected chairman.

They have maintained that the persisting crisis had also created numerous problems for fishermen community who have to run from pillar to post to get even the routine work done.

According to FCS by-laws, the Society is to be governed by a 15-member board of directors. Of them, seven are to be elected by the fishermen community and the rest are to be nominated by the government.

As per the past practice, a chairman comes from the nominated side, because of majority, and a vice-chairman from the elected side.

Following the completion of the election and nomination process on August 4 last year, a meeting of the board had been called for the election of a chairman. However, the meeting was postponed on the intervention of higher authorities.

After the postponement, another three attempts were made to convene the meeting but the authorities frustrated all such moves.

The elected directors have now urged the chief minister again to use his good offices to restrain the authorities from obstructing the holding of the board’s meeting and election of a new chairman of the Society.