Karachi
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led Sindh government has failed to move a bill in the provincial assembly to abolish the contract system and introduce license system at all inland water bodies to protect the livelihood of over one million fishermen.
The previous government had announced to abolish the contract system after the fishermen community had launched a movement. However, the government failed to implement the same because influential people are involved in this lucrative business, sources claimed.
When the PPP came into power, the fishermen approached the Sindh chief minister and the fisheries minister through their area legislators, urging them to make legislation for their welfare.
For the last 25 years, the area influential, who enjoy the backing of ruling authorities, have been occupying the water bodies, the sources said. They have been forcing the poor fishermen to work as labourers while their entire catch is handed over to ‘contractors’. This system has deprived one million fishermen of their source of living.
The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) claims that three years have passed since the government’s announcement to abolish the contract system, yet no legislation has been made in this regard.
There are 1,209 natural freshwater bodies, including ponds, reservoirs, canals, tributaries and the Indus River. Hundreds of fishermen and semi-fishermen draw their livelihood from these fishing grounds. There is no fresh research to identify how many lakes have dried because several water projects launched at different areas have stopped feeding these lakes through natural waterways. Some other lakes have come under the sea and no plan has been initiated for their rehabilitation.
At least 318 potential small freshwater bodies in Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu, Badin, Sukkur, Qambar, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shhikarpur and Kashmore districts are under the control of local influential while the fishermen cannot catch fish in these areas. At least 4,000 families, who used to derive their livelihood from these waters, have been deprived of their right to these natural resources.
PFF chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah said that they were assured more than once during meetings with Fisheries Minister Zahid Bhurgari that they will move a bill against the contract system. However, it is yet to be moved, he added.
Shah said when they tried to continue their struggle against the contract system, the PPP leadership assured them to fulfill their demands. But, he added, the PPP is not paying heed to the fishermen’s demands. “After waiting for a long time, we are planning to re-launch the movement to replace the contract system with the license system in Sindh,” he added.
In 1977, the Sindh government introduced license system on major fishing grounds to regulate fishing activities. Under the new system the fishermen were bound to get themselves registered with the Fisheries Departments at district level. The fishing licenses were issued to them against the payment of a license fee.
However, through another ordinance in 1980, the Sindh government introduced contract system through which waters were auctioned to influential contractors.
By Jan Khaskheli
Thursday, April 22, 2010