KARACHI, Jan 25: Criticising the indifferent attitude of the successive governments towards the fishermen community, contributing Rs11 billion annually to the national exchequer, speakers at a seminar on Thursday demanded establishment of fund for the welfare of the fishermen.
At the seminar entitled ‘Contract system on Inland waters’, speakers described the system as a curse and demanded early introduction of license system in the inland waters being currently allotted to influential persons under the corrupt contract system.
The seminar was organised by the Pakistan Fishermen Forum (PFF) and was chaired by Haji Shafi Mohammad Jamote, senior director of the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS).
PFF Chairman Mohammad Ali Shah explained the objectives of the seminar in the background of the struggle being launched by the PFF against the contract system.
He said the contract system introduced in the inland waters once natural and free fishing zones had made fishermen slaves of private contractors as they considered the entire lake or pond as their private property.
According to him, under this system, the contractors buy fishermen share at throwaway prices and if a fisherman refuses, the contractors force them to do so and even resort to violence.
The PFF leader lauded the struggle of Badin’s fishermen for their struggle against the contract system. Recalling the sufferings of fishermen at the hands of contractors appointed by the rangers, Mr Shah alleged that these contractors not only used to buy the entire fish catch at nominal rates, but did not even allow fishermen to carry fish for their own consumption.He said it was the result of their struggle that the government agreed to do away with the system and introduce license system in Sindh’s coastal areas.
Giving a brief account of the meeting held between fishermen representatives with the provincial secretary fisheries on January 13 in which a consensus was developed on the abolition of the corrupt system, he said the secretary had agreed to submit the proposal to the chief minister for appropriate measures.The PFF chairman urged the government to take early steps for ending the contract system in the inland waterways.
Later, the representatives of fishermen communities from interior of Sindh condemned the contract system on inland fisheries and termed it as a source of exploitation of fishermen.
They stressed that licensing system was the ultimate choice because in the past the government had earned a handsome amount through issuing licenses. In this regard, they gave the examples of Badin and Thatta districts where the contract system was abolished.
Speaking on the occasion, Haji Shafi Mohammad Jamote lauded the struggle of the PFF for economic rights of fishermen.
The seminar adopted a declaration pledging to continue its struggle till the abolition of the contract system in inland fisheries. It lamented that the government had not framed any effective policy on fisheries which resulted in manifold problems for the fishermen.
It urged the government to consider the recommendations of the PFF being submitted to the government.
The seminar also demanded effective implementation of laws on banned nets and setting up hatcheries in every district. It also called for providing basic amenities to fishermen villages and job quotas for fishermen children in Navy, fisheries, irrigation, forest and wildlife departments besides coast guards.
It also recommended that unemployment allowance be given to fishermen during the breeding season i.e. June and July and also urged that the waterways be set free from the occupation of influential persons and fishermen should be given free access to the inland water zones.
