The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum is a non-governmental organization that works to advance the goal of social, economic, cultural and political rights of small scale indigenous fisher communities in Pakistan. more
End of Rangers' Occupation on Fishing Grounds of Sindh (Rangers Retreat)
In 1977, Thar rangers wrote a letter to the government to lease them waters in Badin as they can fulfill nutritive needs of army men. The government leased them four major lakes.
Thar rangers played the same role as was played by the East India Company in the 19th century. The Company entered the sub-continent in the name of trade and made their colonies all over the sub-continent. Seemingly in the beginning Rangers used the same trick and started to occupy other lakes of district. They had expanded their needs from the nutrition of the army men to businesses. The fish catch, particularly shrimps, had a great market value. Their demand to lease them more lakes was rejected by the government of Sindh. A bill was passed in Sindh Assembly against the rangers’ occupation on the water resources.
But they were powerful paramilitary force of the country, so rather than accepting the bill against their occupation on the water resources, they grabbed twenty more.
In the first tenure of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Sharif government, rangers had success over getting a formal permission of the lakes. They signed the agreement with the government under which 65% of the total catch was taken by rangers, 30% by the government and 5% for the fishers’ welfare and development. The devastation for fishers commenced with this agreement. Rangers auctioned the water to their own contractors. The, fishers were stopped to enter into waters. However, their entry at zero point was conditioned to the contractor’s rules. For one kilogram fish catch, the fishers were given Rs10 but it in the market the same quantity valued Rs100. In result, poverty started dancing in their makeshifts and looming on their marginal souls. It was beyond any ones imagination to speak up against the rangers’ vicious power. All political and civil society organizations were dumb in front of the force.
By having close scrutiny of the circumstances in Badin, PFF opened its first unit in 2001 at Haji Hashim Mallah Goth in Badin. It was a time when the soul in the fishers’ lives had returned. But on the same time PFF activists and leaders were told to mould their way which is going to hit the elite force of the country. From 2001 to 2004 PFF’s activists’ persistently worked to harness their skills and mobilize their fisher fellows for the fight. The day came when PFF leadership felt the punch of time and openly declared war against Rangers. On 23rd September 2004, PFF held a press conference at Badin press club and announced to kick off the movement for fishers’ genuine rights. None others but the media supported the PFF’s motives.
PFF had complete confidence in the strength of its activists. It believed that also other civil society organizations would join the struggle.
On 30th September 2004, All Parties Conference was organized to aware civil society members and the media about the rangers’ activities. The conference demanded to restore the fishers’ livelihood resources, declare the coastal belt a free zone and rangers should go back to their barracks. Then, pressmen were taken to visit the zero point but rangers at the check point did not allow anyone to cross the check point further. This caused anguish among journalists and in reaction they gave full coverage to the issue in their newspapers and TV channels.
On 10th October, a wave of hunger strikes was observed all over the district headquarters of Sindh which had greatly influenced the pubic and created a soft corner for the fishers while on the same day rangers caught a PFF activist, Sayed Iqbal Shah, and tortured him. Immediately, PFF activists and journalists reached at the place and rangers released him.
On the next day, women and children also took part in the hunger strikes. Women and children’s participation made the environment more emotive. Mr Kamal Chang, district Nazim badin, Musrat Khuwaja, Taluka nazim visited at the press club.
One of the fish traders, filed petition against rangers’ occupation in Sindh High Court but his petition was rejected because rangers refused to own that they have any contract of the waters. But PFF proved it by showing documents to the public that rangers have not only been exploiting fish resources for the business purpose but they have looted million rupees through these contracts. Rangers authorities retaliated and issued press release in which they accepted that they have been organizing contract system but they are well-wishers of the fishers.
On 4th November, PFF observed black day all over the districts of Sindh province. In the same month when fishermen left their huts in search of livelihoods, two armed men entered into Bux Ali Mallah village and wanted to know about some people. People, particularly women, on the spot told them that they have not seen anybody coming to their village. But the armed men did not listen them and got into their huts and started beating children and women. Women on the spot caught them and at once reported to the police. Police came to the village and took the armed men to the police station in Kadhan. Those armed men declared that they were rangers’ men. All high officials of Thar rangers took notice of the incident and directed the police to arrest fishers and remove all the witnesses that go against rangers activities in the village.
On 20th November, the fishers had sit-in at all the center of Badin. The District Nazim ordered for the enforcement of 144 section of the law and asked the District Police Officer (DPO) to enforce his orders and stop Rangers to fish in the water resources. But DPO, under the influence of Rangers, did not accept the orders of Nazim however he arrested the fishers.
On 21st November, when the entire Muslim world was preparing for Eid there hungry fishers were on the streets of Badin. PFF sent emails and letters to the entire world about history of rangers’ occupation. It was the first time when PFF became prominent in the social movement of Pakistan.
On the next day, Mr Farooq Sattar, member of the parliament, in a press conference said that the president of Pakistan has order Thar rangers to go back to the borders and do not be involved in the contracts of waters. He said that the president had said these remarks in a meeting which was attended by the Director General of Rangers and Chief Minister of Sindh. On 30th December 2004, the Chief Minister of Sindh cancelled all the contracts of rangers on the waters of Badin and waters were given back to the fisheries department. The fishers felt relief over the statement and rangers left everything behind them.
