KARACHI, Dec 26: The Defence Housing Authority and the fishermen community of Gizri have agreed to form a committee, to be headed by Director of DHA Special Projects Iftikhar Haider, to find an amicable solution to the lingering row between the two sides over fishing and other issues in the Gizri Creek area.

The committee will have two members each from the DHA and the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and its terms of reference include determining an appropriate site for anchoring/harbouring of boats at Gizri Creek, determining the number of boats allowed to be anchored/parked according to the capacity of the embankment, registration of boats with the DHA and devising a monitoring mechanism to minimise the chances of the boats’ use for human, drug or arms trafficking.

The committee will put forward its recommendations to the DHA executive board and governing body. The recommendations will be implemented immediately after approval by the two bodies.

The agreement came at a meeting between DHA Administrator Brig Khalid Tirmizi and a delegation of the PFF led by MNA Abdul Qadir Patel at the DHA office on Friday.

All contentious issues between the DHA and the local fishermen community came under discussion at the meeting.

A DHA statement said that the delegation also held a meeting, chaired by Brig Tirmizi, with other officials of the Authority.

It said that the PFF asked for an unhindered access for the local fishermen to the Gizri Creek for harbouring and anchoring fishing boats. The DHA officials expressed certain apprehensions about the activities of the fishermen and other elements.

Brig Tirmizi told the delegation that DHA attached great importance to the fishermen community and was aware of their problems. However, he added, the issue of fishermen’s livelihood should be seen in the light of ground realities and resolved amicably in a positive spirit.

MNA Qadir Patel, on behalf of the aggrieved fishermen, assured the DHA administrator that the Gizri fishermen community would not indulge in any activity that could cause embarrassment to the DHA or create security or other such problems. He said that the PFF would fully cooperate with the DHA in resolving the issues amicably. The PFF held out the assurance that the fishing boats employed by the Gizri fishermen would not be used for or any illegal activity.

The PFF side was represented by PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah, Majeed Motani and Sami Memon.—APP