The Pakistan Fisherfolk’s Forum (PFF) has completed preparations to celebrate the World Fisheries Day falling on November 21, 2010. This time the colourful event will be celebrated at the regional level, the PFF meeting announced on Saturday.

The major event as usual will be held at Ibrahim Hydri, Karachi, where besides coastal community people, civil society activists, lawyers, trade unionists, and other professionals will attend the programme.

Chaired by PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah, the meeting was also attended by General Secretary Saeed Baloch, Mustafa Meerani, Tahira Ali, Majeed Motani, Gulab Shah, Hussain Mallah, Mohammed Mallah, Mithal Mallah, Umar Mallah, Ishaq Meerani, Sami Memon, and others. They formed different committees to organise a variety of activities on the occasion.

During the meeting fishermen hailing from different water bodies shared the reports about the cruel actions taken by feudal lords, threatening fishermen to give them entire catch and getting low prices for their products. All this is happening despite the claims of the provincial government of introducing license system and abolishing contract system in the fishing sector, the meeting observed. They condemned the illegal take-over of fresh water bodies by politically influential feudal lords in Sindh province.

The PFF said about 200 fresh water bodies were under control of feudal lords and local influential people, who were depriving fishermen of their rights. The meeting also decided that the PFF would launch a campaign against the contract system and illegal control of certain influential people from November 28 to December 28, 2010 in which they would hold consultation meetings with stakeholders, taking out protest rallies to condemn atrocities and initiate dialogue with policy makers to protect the rights of the wronged fishermen.

The meeting observed that hundreds of fishermen resumed their livelihood activities after a long time, when hundreds of scattered lakes and water ponds were recharged by the recent floods. However, in the meantime feudal lords and criminals took over control of several waterways, including canals and parts of the River Indus ponds by force and created law and order situation. This new phenomenon has compelled hundreds of local fishermen to either go jobless or compromise, handing over catch to landlords and get low rates.

The meeting appealed to Sindh Chief Minister, Fisheries Minister, and other authorities, who earlier promised to bring amendments in the Fisheries Ordinance, 1980, and pass a bill in the Sindh Assembly to abolish contract system forever in the interest of the neglected fishermen communities. They also complained that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government was breaching its promises and making poor fishermen vulnerable to certain armed people, occupying their waters.

By our correspondent, The News, Karachi