QUETTA: Member of Balochistan Assembly from Gwadar and leader of Jamaat-i-Islami Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman has urged the provincial government to immediately make Pasni Fish Harbour operational. The harbour has been closed for a long time, giving rise to illegal fishing in the area.

Speaking on a point of order in the provincial assembly, Maulana Rehman said that Pasni Fish Harbour has remained non-functional for a long time even though funds have been provided by international donors.

He said that officials of the Fisheries Department are not complying with directives of the parliamentary secretary for fisheries and they have failed to curb illegal fishing activities. He called for strict action to eliminate unlawful fishing practices.

Informing the House about the issue, parliamentary secretary Barkat Ali Rind said that a fisheries department officer had been appointed in Pasni on the recommendation of Maulana Rehman.

However, he said, two local groups in Pasni are against each other over the issue, with one group refusing to recognise Sindhi launch drivers. In response, Maulana Rehman asked the government that anyone involved in illegal activities, whether local or non-local, must be stopped without discrimination.

Provincial Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Buledi claimed that silt has accumulated in the harbour, rendering it non-functional.

He informed the House that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has provided Rs800 million grant for the project to remove the silt and the government is hiring international consultants to fix the issue.

He assured the lawmakers that Pasni Fish Harbour would soon be made operational.

Referring to the issue of illegal fishing practices, the minister said that a few companies had established their monopoly over fishing in the area and the matter is being resolved through dialogue.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2026