ISLAMBAD: A court bailiff stopped the process to auction fishing contract which was in progress at the office Fisheries Department deputy director, Rawal Dam, in the presence of seven bidders on Tuesday.

The bailiff had to intervene as the fisheries department had terminated the previous contract and issued an advertisement for a fresh contract after ignoring a stay order in this regard.

The department also ignored the decision made by the previous deputy commissioner who in June 2018 had stated that the existing contract should be extended for another year due to a loss of Rs20.12 million in the wake of fish mortality.

The decision also stated that the amount had to be paid by the fisheries department to the contractor, and the department may extend the contract by one year in lieu of compensation up to June 2020.

Despite former deputy commissioner’s orders the fisheries department cancelled the contract in June 2019 in violation of the law that the auction process must begin in or after August.

The commercial harvest of fish starts from October as winters approach, but due to lack of a contract this year, poachers and illegal netters have been catching fish frequently even using illegal means such as conducting blasts in shallow waters.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2020