KARACHI, March 10: Due to indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned, fishermen of Sindh are being compelled to abandon their traditional means of livelihood.

The inland fisheries has nearly been destroyed due to shortage of water in the rivers. Besides, the official harassment from Balochistan and Indian agencies are also on the rise against fishermen operating in the open sea, said Mohammed Ali Shah of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum while expressing concern over the recent seizure of two Pakistani boats by Indian authorities and killing of a fisherman in firing by the Levies in Balochistan sea waters on Feb 27. He said due to indifferent policies of successive governments one of the most fertile and high-yielding area of Pakistan, the River Indus delta area, had turned barren and the majority of its residents were facing economic hardships.

Those relying on marine fishery were facing new problems as their lives and equipment were threatened by Indian authorities in the east and by Balochistan authorities in the west, he said.

He deplored the recent confiscation of two boats in Pakistani waters by Indian authorities and said that two the boats, Al-Aziz and Zakaria, were within the territorial waters of Pakistan when Indian authorities seized them and arrested 14 Pakistani fishermen belonging to Sindh. Such harassment by Indian authorities had increased in recent months.

He said fishermen were poor people and they suffered because of there being no clear-cut international sea boundary, and demanded of the governments of both India and Pakistan to save fishermen from harassment.

He denounced the “aggressive” attitude of the Balochistan fisheries department. Despite meetings between the officials of Sindh and Balochistan provinces, there had been no tangible development in this regard, saying no action had so far been taken in connection with the killing of the fishermen who died in firing on Feb 27.

He alleged that some quarters were conspiring to create a rift between the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan.

He criticised the elements that wanted to observe strike at the Karachi Fish Harbour and who were not allowing unloading of catch being brought by boats from the sea. These tactics would pressure the authorities, but these would further damage the already weak financial condition of fishermen.— PPI