KARACHI, May 9: The Sindh Assembly was on Monday informed that efforts were being made for securing release of 32 more fishermen from the custody of Indian authorities. The written statement by Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim came in response to a question asked by the PPP’s Ms Sassui Palejo who wanted to know the number of fishermen apprehended by the Indian authorities.

The chief minister said that the fisheries and livestock department had no official information about the fishermen caught by the Indian navy during the last year. However, according to the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), 156 Pakistani fishermen were apprehended by the Indian authorities during the period October 2003-February 2005. They had been released on April 19 this year in a gesture of goodwill. The released fishermen have since returned home safely.

Dr Arbab informed the house that whenever such arrests came to the knowledge of the government, the FCS was asked to pass on the information about the arrest and whereabouts of the fishermen to their families. Simultaneously, he added, the federal government was requested to make efforts for their release.

Minister for Culture and Tourism Shabbir Ahmed Kaimkhani informed the house that under the directives of the chief minister, land survey and master plan work vis-a-vis the Gorakh Hills development plan had been undertaken and the scheme would be brought before the competent forum within the next two weeks.

After completion of the project, many opportunities for the promotion of tourism in the region would be created and it would emerge as one of the best tourist resorts in the country. The project would also generate job opportunities for thousands of people as it would attract domestic and foreign investment, he added. The question about the project was raised by Dr Mahreen Bhutto of the PPP.

Replying to a question asked by Sharfunnisa Leghari of the PPP, the Mr Kaimkhani said that his department had taken up the matter of starting a railcar or train service via Kotri and Larkana at convenient times with the ministry of railway to facilitate tourism. In addition, he added, a proposal for a establishing a motel at Moenjodaro was also under consideration.