HYDERABAD: The fishermen community held a rally under the banner of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) outside the local press club on Thursday to condemn encroachment of lakes, rivers and other freshwater bodies in Sindh.

Activists of growers, labour and civil society organisations also joined in the rally which was part of the ‘Week of action (Nov 15-22) against freshwater bodies grabbing’ being observed by the PFF to mark the World Fisheries Day (Nov 21.

The rally participants raised slogans against illegal occupation of freshwater bodies in Sindh, release of freshwater downstream and provision of alternative livelihood resources to the fisherman community.

The rally was led by PFF senior vice chairman Ghulam Mustafa Mirani, civil society and right activists Dr Ashothama Lohana, Suleman Abro, Zulfiqar Halepoto, Punhal Sario and others.

Speaking to the participants, they said the grabbing of water bodies cast an adverse impact on communities, their lifestyles, cultural identity and livelihoods. Fishing communities were threatened by development projects that were supposed to reclaim lands of coastlines by destroying mangroves, they said, adding that building cities by encroaching upon coastlines and water bodies could not be allowed.

The leaders also urged the Sindh government to define and implement a fisheries policy. They called for adopting resolutions in the Sindh Assembly against overfishing, habitat destruction and other issues posing a serious threat to the sustainability of marine and freshwater resources.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2016