KARACHI, Nov 23: The caretaker setup in the province has reportedly taken serious notice of the charges of irregularities and embezzlement of funds levelled against the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS).

According to FCS sources, the society is facing the worst ever financial crisis and the situation has aggravated to such an extent that the FCS has not been able to pay salaries to its employees for the last two months.

Sources said that the government was contemplating various options to replace the present administrative setup both in the FCS and the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) as both had failed to deliver and had been responsible for the current mess in the fisheries sector, they alleged.

It is further learnt that high-ups in the provincial caretaker setup had established contacts with all the stakeholders to find out a workable solution to these problems in the fisheries sector. In this regard reports have also been sought from the relevant department.

“The government is also in contact with one of the senior most directors of the FCS to seek his assistance in this regard,” said sources.

Senior FCS directors have levelled charges of misuse of funds against the present administrator and its administration and a former chairman has even called for his dismissal.

Representatives of fishermen have also condemned the appointment of a retired army officer as general manager of the society. Terming it illegal and in violation of the bylaws of the society, they said that it appeared as if FCS was no longer a welfare organisation of fishermen but being used by vested interests to promote their own interests by looting the revenue of fishermen.

Expressing concern over various problems being faced by the community such as water shortage and a lack of health facilities, they said that the present FCS had not taken any step to mitigate the sufferings of fishermen.

They accused the present FCS administration of nepotism and corruption.