KARACHI: Fishermen urge probe into kickback allegations
KARACHI, June 5: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on Sunday demanded of the president of Pakistan and chairman of National Accountability Bureau to order a probe into the alleged involvement of the Sindh government’s high-ups in corrupt practices, while granting fishing contracts in Sindh.
PFF leaders including Latif Dorai, Umaid Bukhsh Baloch, Hajani Nasima and others, speaking at a hunger-strike camp of fishermen outside the Karachi Press Club, alleged that huge amounts of money were received as commission while issuing licenses of fishing rights to private contractors in various districts of Sindh.
They said that the government had arrested the central leaders of the PFF, because the organization had launched a campaign against the auctioning of fishing grounds in Sindh.
They urged both the president and chairman of NAB to take notice of what they called a widespread corruption in the Sindh Fisheries Department and order an independent inquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, a large number of fishermen from different fishing villages of the city continued their hunger strike at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday against the contract system and arrest of leaders of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF).
The participants were carrying placards with demands to abolish contract system and release of fishermen leaders. They raised slogans against the Sindh government and demanded that fishermen should be granted licenses to do fishing independently.
Leaders of various social and political organizations also visited the hunger-strike camp of the PFF. Prominent among those were Secretary of Sindhi Adabi Sangat of Thatta Akash Abbasi, Amir Bukhsh of Marooara Ittehad, Attaur Rehman of Malir Welfare Association, and Akbar Haider of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party. — PPI
