ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has expressed concern over 'illegal' occupation of fishing grounds in Badin, Sindh allegedly by Thar Rangers.

She supported the fisher folk in their struggle against what she called the usurpation of their fishing rights at different places including Karachi Fish Harbour, Balochistan, Thatta, Badin, Manchar Lake and in other places.

In a statement issued by the PPP medias cell here Thursday she said it was a disservice to involve the Rangers in financial matters that brought them into clash with the impoverished people of different communities.

"The attempt to deny the fisherman community of their historical livelihood was the second major incident following Okara Military Farms tenants". The present agitation by the fisherman erupted after reports that the Rangers have illegally occupied the fishing grounds of Badin, the statement said.

Fishery has recently become a lucrative field with modernized methods and the rise in fishing has led to the illegal seizure of their fishing areas. The miseries of fishermen in Badin and Thatta districts started during the dictatorship of Gen Zia.

Thar Rangers requested the Sindh government to hand over one of the coastal lakes of Badin to them ostensibly to provide food to their personnel at the border checkposts by catching fish from the lake. However, traditionally, since the days of the British, the troops would buy food products from the local community rather than harvest and market them themselves. The distinction between law enforcement and economic ambitions was separated during British rule. However, under military dictatorship, it began to be blurred.

Once the Rangers set the precedent by wrongly exploiting the need for using the fish resources of one lake for food purpose, the Thar Rangers began 'illegally' occupying a number of other lakes of the coastal areas of Badin.

For financial benefits, they started awarding the fishing rights of these lakes to their favourite contractors adding to corruption in the society, the PPP chairperson said.

Following a cyclone in 1999 the Rangers started occupying more lands. However, during the PPP government, the paramilitary forces kept within the confines of the law. To counter the fishermen's complaints, a reign of terror was unleashed against their communities; they were forced to sell their fish catch to contractors at throw away prices.