HYDERABAD: Massive protest against contract system: Five leaders of Fisherfolk Forum held
Bureau Report
HYDERABAD, May 16: Five leaders of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), including its chairman, Mohammad Ali Shah, were arrested by the GOR police after they held a big protest demonstration outside the fisheries offices here on Monday. Hundreds of Men and women, who took part in the protests carried placards with slogans against the contract system in the sweet water fishing sector of the province and for the introduction of licence system.
The demonstration was held on the day the contracts of Hyderabad and Sukkur regions were to be auctioned by the fisheries department.
Reports said that despite the protest demonstration, nine sweet water lakes and ponds of Hyderabad out of 21 and 16 lakes and ponds of Sukkur out of 27 were auctioned.
The director of fisheries, Mr Ghulam Mohammad Mahar, was not available on telephone to confirm or deny the auction.
The fishermen under the banner of PFF raised vociferous slogans against the provincial adviser on fisheries, Mr Jadam Mangrio, and the fisheries department officials.
The protest demonstration and sit-in continued from 11am to 3pm. A heavy contingent of police deployed at the place failed to stop the demonstrators.
Speaking on the occasion, the chairman of the forum, Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, Sultan Ahmed Memon and other forum leaders said that the survival of one million fishermen depended on 1200 sweet water lakes and ponds of the province.
They accused the fisheries department and Mr Jadam Magrio, the provincial fisheries adviser, of committing economic crime against the poor fishermen.
Mr Shah said that fishermen alone were the heirs of the sweet water resources of Sindh and they would \not surrender their rights come hell or high water
He said the protest movement launched by the fishermen of Sindh would be converted into a national movement and added that protest would also be held in Islamabad and the fishermen’s case would be presented before the international human rights fora.
He demanded that contract system should be abolished and licence system should be introduced for catching fish.
Reports said that after the protest, the chairman of the forum, Syed Mohammad Ali Shah and four others were invited by the police for talks but later arrested and booked in a criminal case.
They included Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, Sultan Ahmed Memon, Jamal Mustafa Shoro, Allah Dino Mallah and Mohammad Mallah.
GOR police station confirmed that a case was registered against them under section 341, 147 and 149 PPC.
SAU EMPLOYEES: A large number of Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam employees from grade-1 to 16 staged a protest demonstration at the campus while five employees led by the action committee leader, Hussain Bux Veesar, began hunger strike unto death to press for the acceptance of employees demands.
Their demands included employment for the deceased’s children, regularization of services of old employees, promotions for qualified employees, grant of uniform allowance and conveyance allowance etc.
The chairman of the action committee, Hussain Bux Veesar severely criticized the indifferent attitude of the vice chancellor in resolving employees problems.
The vice chancellor is reported to have appointed a committee to hold talks with the low-grade employees.
HYDERABAD, May 16: Five leaders of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), including its chairman, Mohammad Ali Shah, were arrested by the GOR police after they held a big protest demonstration outside the fisheries offices here on Monday. Hundreds of Men and women, who took part in the protests carried placards with slogans against the contract system in the sweet water fishing sector of the province and for the introduction of licence system.
