KARACHI, April 9: Representatives of the fishermen communities have urged the federal government not to take any decision about the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) without taking into consideration their point of view, and to maintain it as an independent body.
It has been learnt from reliable sources in the fisheries that higher authorities were considering taking important decisions about the FCS on the basis of reports they had received through certain government agencies.
Elected directors of the society after a meeting with representatives of the fishermen communities have urged the government to restore the independent status of the FCS and not to allow any provincial or federal department take over it.
They criticised the role of the federally-controlled, Marine Fisheries Department, in the Karachi Fish Harbour, saying it had always made the society its scapegoat to cover up its own failings whenever a European delegation visited the harbour.
They were of the view that “the MFD as well as the provincial fisheries department have no impressive record to their credit”. Instead of playing a positive role, these two organizations had always intervened in the affairs of the society and had tarnished its image, they said.
They reminded that the FCS, once being a financially and administratively well-managed organization, started deteriorating after political figures were inducted into the society.
They lamented that elections for chairman and vice-chairman of the society could not be held so far, despite the fact that over a year had passed since elections of the society’s directors were held. The society was being run presently by a three-member managing committee, they said.
Not only that, they also said that constant efforts were being made to discredit the society to provide an excuse to higher authorities to take over its charge.
Recently, they said the sewerage system in the harbour had been made inoperative by chocking all its gutter lines, and then an advertisement was published in the newspapers against the society.
It was learnt that when the KWSB was requested to clear the chocked gutters, it was amazing to note that all gutter lines had been chocked with heavy stones, large wooden articles and plastic bags.
When contacted, Mr Shujat Ali Qarni, a managing committee member, confirmed the report, saying “this is a part of series of conspiracies being launched against the FCS”.
According to Qarni, after chocking the gutter lines, photographs were taken and shown to the Prime Minister. While at the same day, an appeal seeking the assistance of the President in the affairs of the society was published by the head of the mole-holders’ association, though a majority of mole-holders had denounced the appeal later on, stating they had nothing to do it.
Mr Qarni said the matter of chocking of gutters was brought to the notice of the police for taking necessary action. At the same time, he demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter.
