KARACHI, April 13: A seminar on the problems of the fishermen community has urged the government to announce a new fisheries policy ensuring rights of the community.Expressing concern over the plight of fishermen, speakers said the community had been neglected in the past and was living in abject poverty, despite the fact that it had been contributing to the national exchequer.
They pointed out that the community had been struggling for its due rights by holding protest rallies and demonstrations, but regretted to say that the government had not announced any sustainable fisheries policy.
The seminar was organized here by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum in collaboration with Oxfam.
Former Speaker Sindh Assembly Husain Haroon warned that if the government failed to recognize the rights of fishermen, political and social forces would join community’s struggle and the government would face manifold problems.
He was surprised that the government had not announced the new fisheries policy so far and stressed the need of framing a sustainable fisheries policy ensuring socio-economic needs of the fishermen community.
PFF Chairman Mohammad Ali accused the bureaucrats and policy-makers of working against the interests of the community, saying that instead of protecting the legitimate interests of fishermen, they were hatching conspiracies against the community.
The PFF representative said his organization would stage a rally on April 27 in support of the demands of the community.
The seminar was also addressed by Assistant Director Fisheries Department Rana Iqbal and Director Marine Fisheries Department Shaukat Husain, who defended the government’s policies, saying that the government had prepared a number of schemes for the welfare of fishermen community.
A number of resolutions were also adopted demanding an end to the contract system in inland fisheries and also called for creation of a Mahigir development fund.
