HYDERABAD, July 18: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum held a “Jashn-i-Mallah Sindh Convention” at the Sindh Museum here on Monday to celebrate abolition of the contract system for catching fish in sweet waters. It resolved to continue the struggle against the contract system on all waters and called for handing over sweet water resources to union councils. Thousands of fishermen, including women, attended the convention.

Speaking on the occasion, forum chairman Syed Mohammad Ali Shah said fishermen were true owners of sweet waters for the purpose of catching fish which had been their only source of livelihood for centuries.

He said tens of thousands of fishermen had been rendered jobless due to introduction of the contract system and occupation of lakes and ponds by feudal lords and other influential people.

Mr Shah said it was due to the struggle of fishermen that the contract system on sweet waters had been abolished. He, however, added that the ordeal of fishermen was not over and they would have to continue their struggle for restoration of their rights.

He announced that the struggle would continue till sweet water resources were handed over to union councils and a legal shape was given to the abolition of the contract system through an amendment to the fisheries ordinance.

He thanked organizations which had supported the cause of fishermen.

The fishermen leader said poisonous water coming from Punjab and Balochistan had polluted sweet water resources of Sindh, including Manchhar, Keenjhar and Hamal lakes.

He demanded that the flow of poisonous water into Sindh should be stopped and water resources of the province be rehabilitated through waters of the River Indus.

Sharafat Ali, Ms Sehr Rizvi, Saeed Baloch, Sami Memon and Tahira Ali also spoke on the occasion.

RESOLUTIONS: The convention adopted many resolutions, demanding enactment of a law abolishing the contract system forever, introduction of a licence system for catching fish and taking over possession of water resources from influential people.