KARACHI, Oct 30: Speakers at a meeting on Saturday demanded that the law-enforcement agency personnel should vacate all the fishing areas in Sindh, as it was against the concept of provincial autonomy.

Speaking at the meeting organized by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and the Actionaid, they demanded that the writ of the Sindh Fisheries department be restored on the fishing areas and stern action, according to the relevant laws, be taken against the exploiters of the poor fishermen.

They also condemned the Rangers, and said that their primary duty was to monitor the country's borders, so they should restrict themselves to their job and avoid intrusion in commercial activities like fishing and selling water.

Criticizing the Rangers' stance that they were carrying out various social welfare activities in Badin district, they said that the poor fishermen did not want any charity from their exploiters. The fishermen only wanted to have an unhindered access to, and control over, water resources, they added.

To the Rangers' claim that they were occupying ponds and lakes due to security concern, as these were located in border area, the speakers argued that no such precedence was set by the Indian border security forces to deprive the poor residents of their livelihood in the border areas on their side.

They also termed the occupation of Badin lakes and introduction of contract system on these lakes by the Rangers as illegal, immoral and unconstitutional, and demanded that these lakes be handed over to the fishing communities.

They also termed the Rangers' action a violation of the provincial autonomy, saying the fishing areas belonged to the Sindh government, while these were being controlled

by the Rangers - a federal organization.

They condemned the Rangers for attacking the village and torturing the villagers, and even getting them arrested by the police. They demanded that all the arrested villagers be released unconditionally and immediately and stern action be taken against the Rangers' personnel involved in the attack.

They also slated the Rangers for carrying out media campaign and said that the Rangers were not only misleading the media persons by feeding them wrong information, but they were also trying to create doubts about the just struggle of the victimized fishermen.

One of the speakers said that people of Badin had been neglected for long. First they were hit by drought and then cyclone, but they did not receive any substantial relief, he added saying that the fishermen were also being tortured.

Though the district produced huge quantity of oil, it did not get any royalty for that, and even the oil companies did not hire the local people, the speaker said and added that similar acts of victimization were being carried out against the Okara farmers in Punjab.

Criticizing the Rangers' involvement in commercial activities, they said that such engagements would divert their attention from their duty and could affect their efficiency.

Some of the speakers also alleged that members of the provincial government were supporting the Rangers, who were exploiting and victimizing the fishermen.

Two Sindh Assembly members belonging to the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Akhtar Bilgrami and Idrees Siddiqui also supported the fishermen's cause and criticized the Rangers' occupation of fishing grounds. They said that Sindh resources belonged to the people living in Sindh.

They demanded that the fishing contracts be only given by the Sindh Fisheries department. They said that they would raise this issue at all relevant forums. They said the Rangers were handling water supply through tankers in the city, but the situation had not improved.

The meeting also decided to form two committees- a free legal aid committee for the fishermen, who had been arrested, and a struggle committee to formulate a strategy and mobilize support for the cause of fishermen.

The Pakistan People's Party MNA Fahmida Mirza, Muzaffar Ali Shujra (PPP), Abdul Khaliq Junejo (Jeay Sindh Mahaz), Yusuf Mustikhan (National Workers Party), Nooruddin Rahujo (Awami Tehrik), Ali Hassan Chandio (Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party), Usman Baloch, Mohammad Ali Shah (PFF), Adam Malik (Actionaid) and others also spoke. Mahmood Alam Jamote (PML MPA) also attended the meeting for some time but left without speaking.