Hope fading for fishermen

Despite promises made by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government problems of the fishermen are far from over even at the end of this year, as the contract system of leasing out inland water bodies, continues to jeopardise the livelihood and sustenance of the community in Sindh.

Resistance against this unfair practice launched by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) has still not reached a favorable conclusion because activists allege that the PPP is following in the same vein as the former Pakistan Muslim League -Quaid (PML-Q) led government. “It appears that there is no hope for the fishermen who have long been waiting for relief from the authorities,” PFF spokesman Sami Memon said.

Memon added that the practice of the contract system is a violation of notifications that have been issued by the provincial government. The contract system has been abolished by the former government as the former chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim during his visit to Zero Point, Badin district had announced the abolition of the system on all the inland water bodies and directed the concerned authorities to issue licenses to bona fide fishermen immediately. Later, the provincial government issued an amendment in the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance, abolishing the contract system along with fixed fees for licenses for bona fide fishermen whose license have been issued since October 22, 2007.

Similarly, present Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, had reiterated the same distaste for contract system in his budget 2008-09 speech, terming it an exploitation of fishermen. He had also issued orders to protect the livelihood of the fishermen community. There are 1,209 water bodies in the province, many of them come under the jurisdiction of Wildlife and Forest departments, which are the main source of income for the fishermen. Around 30 lakes under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department have either dried up due to lack of water supply by canals or have turned polluted as they receive industrial and agricultural affluent.

The decision was applied to all the water bodies, including territories falling under the Forest and Wildlife Departments. However, the Forest and Wildlife Department Hyderabad continue to award contracts to influential people, who have barred the fishermen from entering these water bodies.

Meanwhile, the PFF representatives have sent letters to the Sindh Chief Minister, Fisheries Minister, Chief Secretary, Minister of Forest and Wildlife, Secretary Fisheries and Livestock and Director Fisheries Inland, demanding that their sources of livelihood should be secured. The PPP founding chairman, late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had also issued directives to replace contract system with licensing for bona fide fishermen in 1976. However, there has been no implementation of the amendments.

When contacted, Sindh Fisheries Minister spokesman, quoting Director Inland Fisheries Hyderabad, told The News that the Fisheries Department itself is following the chief minster’s orders properly. As far as the matter related to water bodies coming under the jurisdiction of the Wildlife and Forest Departments is concerned, the CM secretariat should take notice of their decisions. The spokesman said they did not know the fresh situation of auctioning waters to influential people in the province. He added that he will convey the matter to the minister who is busy at the moment.

The PFF is scheduling to mobilise the community people belonging to different freshwaters to launch an effective struggle against contract system. BY Jan Khaskheli, Source The News International