KARACHI, Feb 12: The Pakistan People's Party, Sindh chapter, has demanded that the coastal belt in Badin should be declared a 'free zone' to enable fishermen to eke out their living.

This was said by Sindh PPP information secretary Dr Fehmida Mirza in a press statement issued here on Saturday after the party's Sindh Executive Council held a meeting to discuss various issues of concern to people of the province.

She said the meeting adopted a resolution demanding that the coastal belt should be declared a free zone and the contract system be abolished so that local fishermen could fish in the area.

She talked about problems of the fisher folk and maintained that the government had gone back on its commitment made to fishermen of southern Sindh, especially Badin. She also referred to a protest campaign of fishermen in this regard. She said the government had made another U-turn on its promise to abolish the contract system and remove Rangers from the area.

The PPP leader was of the view that corporate role of security agencies was not only harming their discipline but it was also depriving local people of their source of living.

She also accused Gen Pervez Musharraf of creating disharmony through such moves.

She observed that only political leadership was capable of resolving Kashmir, Baghliar dam and other issues.