KARACHI, July 2: A large number of fishermen from different coastal areas of Karachi have called upon the government to increase the number of elected directors on the board of the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) from seven to ten by amending the by-laws of the Society.
They said under the present arrangements the elected directors, being in minority, could not protect the rights of fishermen, who had been facing problems due to operational costs and interference of other government agencies.
The board of directors of the FCS comprises 15 members, of which eight are nominated by the government and seven are elected by the fishermen by vote.
The fishermen vowed to protect the FCS from the domination of government agencies and to strengthen its independent role as a facilitator of the community.
Held at the old locality of fishermen—Khadda—- and organized by the Fishermen Lara Jamat, first of its kind, the meeting was also attended by the elders of Mubarak village, Abdur Rehman Goth, Mauripur Grex village, Bullijee, Kalri, Darayabad, Niazi chowk, besides representatives of trawler owners and the mole holder (auctioneers).
Prominent among them were Haji Shafi Mohammad Jamote, a senior director of the Society and former vice-chairman of the FCS, Haji Mohammad Yunis, head of Younisabad (Hawkesbay) and Babu Ismail, President of the Mole-Holders Association.
Speakers expressed their concern over the growing interference of government agencies, including the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) in the fisheries affairs.
They said instead of solving the fishermen problems, the KFHA created more problems, thereby creating confusion and anarchy in the sector.
They suggested that it was better that the Karachi Fish Harbour be handed over to the Society for operational and maintenance purposes.
They also opposed the government’s move to increase the land rent from Rs250 to Rs650, saying that it would further burden the port facility user.
They also objected to the nomination of four directors from the Fisheries Department to the FCS’s board of directors by Sindh government.
The speakers urged the chairman of the Society to immediately call the general body meeting of the shareholders, as requisitioned by over fifty members, to discuss the “crisis”.
The FCS’s 24th by-law says that a special general meeting can be summoned by the resolution of the Board or on a written order from the deputy registrar, or upon a written requisition from fifty or one fifth of the total number of the shareholders.
It shall be duty of the chairman to call such a meeting within one month of the receipt of the requisition, says the by-law.
Similarly, by-law 26, says that a special general meeting shall not transact any business other than mentioned in the requisition or notice, convening it, as case may be.
Some 57 members of the FCS have requisitioned a special general meeting (SGM) of the Society to discuss some vital issues pertaining to the Karachi Fish Harbour.
The issues include an outstanding dispute on rent charge, which has been a bone of contention between the FCS and the KFHA for quite some time.
The members also challenged the validity of the elections held on May 24, which they said were in conflict with the by-laws of the Society. Under the by-laws, the Board was elected two years back and the vice-chairman was to continue for a further period of one year.
However, they claimed that the election of the chairman and vice-chairman, held on May 24, two years after the original elections for the Board that took place.
Moreover, they said since the office of the chairman had fallen vacant, the Board should have stated, unequivocally, that the newly-elected chairman would only serve for the remaining period of tenure (one year) and not for a three-year term.