KARACHI, Nov 20: Leaders of the fishermen community belonging to the Anjuman Khadda Fishermen Karachia Jamaat have urged the caretaker chief minister of Sindh to immediately remove administrator of the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) and constitute a committee of fishermen’s representatives to run its affairs.

A representative meeting of the community was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Abuzar Mariwara, the president of the association to discuss various issues. The meeting held the administrator’s defective policies responsible for the unending mess at the Karachi Fish Harbour.

Faqir Mohammad Jadam Mangrio, adviser to the chief minister on fisheries in the just retired provincial government, was given the additional charge of FCS administrator last month while he was already heading the FCS and the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority as chairman of both the institutions.

Senior FCS directors had opposed his appointment as administrator, claiming that he had almost ruined the fisheries sector and that the ill-advised policies had had been pursuing as chairman of the FCS had financially crippled the society.

Presenting a dismal picture of fishermen’s plight, Mr Mariwara, who is a former chairman of the society, said they were still living below the poverty line although the fisheries sector had been contributing $190 million annually to the national exchequer. He said the defective policies pursued by Mr Mangrio as FCS and KFHA chairman had proved destructive for the fisheries sector.

He recalled that the European Union had slapped a ban on their import of seafood products from Pakistan last year, and regretted that no improvement was brought about in the conditions at the harbour as demanded by the EU for the lifting of the ban. He held the policies pursued by Mr Mangrio responsible for the situation.

Mr Mariwara said that the EU ban had badly been affecting the local fishermen economically as they were forced to sell their catch at a throwaway price in local market.

He also questioned Mr Mangrio’s continued holding of his positions, arguing that with the dissolution of the Sindh cabinet and assembly, he was no more qualified for the posts.