October 29, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 28: A special development plan for the welfare of fishermen’s community will be announced shortly.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Cooperation Abdul Jalil Memon while speaking at a function held at the Karachi Fish Harbour on Tuesday.

The function was organized by the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society (FCS) to distribute ration bags among 1,500 poor and needy fishermen of various localities.

Mr Memon handed over the ration bags to fishermen from Khadda, Baba Bhit Island, Ibrahim Haidri, Shams Pir, Salehabad, Lath Basti and Keti Bandar. Each bag contained 20 kilos wheat flour, rice, sugar, ghee, lentils and tea bags.

He lauded the contribution of the fishermen community in the national exchequer but deplored that they lived in a pathetic condition. Ever since the present government took over special attention had been paid towards the uplift of the fishermen community, he said.

The minister said that the government had already launched several schemes, including provision of housing facilities in villages of fishermen and transfer of modern technology, in a short span of time. Besides, the government was working on various development schemes for the welfare and prosperity of this neglected section of the population, he added.

FCS Administrator Mohammad Jaffer Khwaja also assured the fishermen that the government would soon announce development schemes worth billion of rupees for the welfare and prosperity of fishermen.

The lifestyle of fishermen would be changed with the implementation of these projects, he said, adding that a new era of prosperity would usher.

Earlier, FCS Adviser Abuzar Mariwala urged the government to announce an economic package for fishermen so that they can survive during the present harsh economic conditions.

He said the fishermen had voted for the present government and they were rightly expecting a lot from it and hoped that the government would honour the commitments made to the fishermen community.

Mr Mariwala urged Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq to pay attention towards the educational needs of fishermen’s community by following in the footsteps of his (the minister’s) grandfather late Pir Elahi Bakhsh, who had undertaken various development schemes for fishermen.

—Staff Reporter