KARACHI, July 22: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) has condemned the arrests of fishermen from various parts of Sindh by the police despite the fact that the government has announced abolishing the contract system from all 1,209 fresh water fisheries grounds in the province.

A PFF spokesman said on Friday that former contractors, in connivance with the local police, were claiming their rights on fishing grounds and creating hindrances in fishing activities.

In Sanghar for example, he said that on the instigation of a former contractor, the police had arrested three fishermen from the Bakar Lake because the latter had refused to give their catch to the influential contractor.

The contractor claimed to have extended his contract, despite the fact that the government had not auctioned any water ground in the Sanghar district. The police had put these poor fishermen behind bars without any crime on their part.

In Badin too, the police arrested some fishermen and registered cases against them. Police parties are also conducting raids on residences of other fishermen in Badin.

In Jamshoro, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had picked up a leader of the PFF, Allah Dino Mallah, for interrogation from his home a week ago and there was no clue of him since then.

The PFF central office had received similar information about harassment and arrests of fishermen from various other water grounds in Sindh.

The PFF Chairman, Mohammad Ali Shah, has condemned the actions of the police and other law enforcement agencies against poor fishermen of the province.

He urged the higher authorities of the Sindh government to release the fishermen, otherwise fishermen of the entire province would start a protest movement.

The PFF chairman has convened an emergency meeting of the action committee against the contract system on July 25 and to chalk out a future strategy.—PPI