KARACHI, Jan 28: Concerted efforts should be made to resolve all the remaining disputes between Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) and Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS).

This was stated by the Chairman of the KFHA, Commodore Syed Tayyab Naqvi, while speaking at a function held at the harbour on Tuesday. The event was organized by the KFHA Employees Union.

He reiterated his stand that the ownership of harbour’s land rested with the provincial government and that he had repeatedly conveyed the fact to fishermen in his every visit to their villages.

It is the first time Commodore Naqvi has spoken on the subject of the decades-old dispute between the KFHA and FCS. He emphasised the need for finding a workable solution to all the disputes between the two organizations which, he said, had been playing vital role in the development of fisheries sector.

Mr Naqvi was of the view that the tension would in no way serve the interest of the sector. He assured his continued efforts to resolve the disputes. He denied that he had ever agreed, in any meeting, that the annual rent rate be fixed at Rs650 per square yard instead of Rs250 for harbour facilities.

He repeated his call for a workable formula under which the parties involved could settle their disputes amicably.

Commenting on sharing the FCS earnings from fish auctions through mole-holders (authorized commission-holders), Mr Naqvi stated that the KFHA demand for a 50 per cent share was not logical.

The demand was supported by the EC at the time when the KFHA, being newly-established, was financially weak and had no major independent source of income.

“The situation has changed now,” he said adding that the KFHA had recently devised its own sources of income and was working on projects costing billion of rupees.

Earlier, President of the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority employees’ union, Fazil Sajdi Baloch, and Secretary General, Mohammad Habib, thanked the Authority’s chairman for accepting the workers’ charter of demands.

The function was attended by Karachi Fish Harbour Authority a large number of employees besides navy personnel and many officials.