KARACHI: Members of the governing body along with the local fishing community celebrated the 25th foundation day of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum’s (PFF) in Karachi on Friday.

Speaking at the event, PFF’s chairman Mehran Ali Shah paid tribute to the lifelong struggle and service of late Muhamad Ali Shah and Tahira Ali Shah who founded the PFF on May 5, 1998.

He said that due to their consistent hard work and struggle, PFF rose to be one of the biggest social movements at the regional level.

He further said that the PFF has since long been raising a voice about serious issues such as nuclear power plants in Karachi, saving marine ecology, fishermen being arrested at sea for unknowingly having crossed over to India, etc.

He emphasised that the PFF had been demanding a sustainable fisheries policy and that they have always been in coordination with the provincial government for the implementation of effective policies in letter and spirit to end uncertainty among the fishing communities and to save ecology.

Speaking on the occasion, participants from the local fishing community, academia and various other walks of life highlighted grassroots issues linked with the fishing community such as the protection of rights of the fishing community, freshwater lakes and river ecology, opposing blue economy and rights of nature in Pakistan and especially in Sindh.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2023