KARACHI: Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum Saturday wowed to guard rights of the indigenous fishermen and reject any construction over the sea islands.
This was announced by the PFF leadership during celebration of World Fisheries Day held on November 21 in Ibrahim Hyderi on with theme “Fisher people’s sovereignty on all marine islands” and “guard rights of the fisher people.” Hundreds of Fishermen and women as well as civil society workers had gathered at Mir Jamot Jetty. Fishermen from Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad and other districts also participated in the celebration.
During the celebration, a colourful cultural programme was also held, which included songs and tableaus where youth highlighted issues of the fishing people. The central program was held after one-week activities from November 16-21 throughout the province. The fishermen dismissed proposed construction of cities on twin islands
Chairman PFF, Muhammad Ali Shah, said that the PFF would guard the rights of the fisher people and would not tolerate any decision against indigenous fisher folks. He said the World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout the world by the fisher folk communities. From its inception in 1998, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum has been celebrating and observing this event every year.
He said around 3.0 million fishermen in Sindh and Balochistan depend on marine fishing, mostly in creeks while the government has decided to develop islands and construct cities that would close paths of fishermen and deprive them of livelihood.
He said the federal government has constituted Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) to construct the city on twin islands of Bhundar (Bundal) and Dingi without any consultation with the Sindh government, as the area falls under the provincial jurisdiction.
“Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum is protesting against such decision and is celebrating this World Fisheries Day by protesting the construction of cities over islands, as they are places for fishing and mangrove forests,” he said. “Federal government’s such action is not only against the Constitution of Pakistan but it is also against international conventions and agreements, which provide social, economic and cultural sovereignty to the indigenous people.”
He said Pakistan has a coastal belt of over 1,050 kilometers and there are 300 small and big islands located in Sindh coast only that would be taken into control by the federal government. Along with Dingi and Bundal, these islands are home to thousands of hectares of mangrove forests, which are nurseries of fish and shrimps while these creeks from Karachi to Thatta are fishing grounds for the fishermen.
Talking on other issues of the fishermen, Shah said a recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world’s fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline because of factors such as the loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.
The fishermen have been suffering series of problems. Ghastly increasing marine pollution, unconventional and untraditional fishing practices including destructive nets and deep-sea trawlers have not only over fished and ruined the ecosystem but have been drastically affecting livelihood of fishermen.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sindh Assembly Member Mahmood Alam Jamot said that Pakistan has coast of 1,050 kilometres, of which Balochistan coast was spread over 700 kilometres and Sindh coast was spread over 350 kilometres. However, Sindh’s 2.5 million fishermen who directly or indirectly depended over marine and fresh water fisheries were economically depressed and lacked basis facilities. He said that use of banned nets damaged the fish stocks, so they should neither use those nets themselves nor allow others to use.
Participants demanded that islands were property of the fishermen of Balochistan and Sindh. Thus, no construction should be made over them and the presidential ordinance should be withdrawn. Foreign deep-sea trawlers, who are waiting near Karachi coast, should not be issued licenses, as they damage fish stocks and are a threat to livelihood of fisherfolks.
In order to reduce marine pollution, no industrial as well as residential waste be discharged in to the sea without treatment. They also demanded that at least 35 maf water should be released downstream Kotri to provide life to the Indus Delta.
Researcher and historian Gul Hassan Kalmati said that they needed to initiate joint struggle to save their assets. He said that PPP who is in majority in senate of Pakistan, should take up the issue over there.
Civil society representatives Usman Baloch, Fatima Majeed, President Awami Workers Party Sindh Bakhshal Thalho, fisherfolk leader Jan Alam Jamot, Abdul Khaliq Junejo and HRCP Sindh Co-Chairman Asad Butt also addressed the gathering.