ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping Wednesday directed Fisheries Department (FD) Government of Sindh and Marine Fisheries Department Ministry (MFD) of Ports and Shipping to resolve their issues within one month.
The committee also directed both of the departments to devise futuristic plan of action to enhance Pakistan’s exports of fisheries products to other countries and report back to committee by October 25. The NA panel met here with Ghulam Mustafa Shah in the chair to discuss the working relationship between both the departments and was stunned on the lack of coordination between them.
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The committee members expressed their grave concerns over illegal fishing in creeks whereas officials from Sindh government instead of responding to these concerns voiced against injustices and non-delegation of devolved entities under provincial control. Senior official of MFD Shaukat briefed the committee that illegal fishing of juvenile fish with smaller nets had eaten up food for bigger species of fish which were of migrant nature, resultantly, Pakistan lacked in export of fish products of high quality.
On the question about whose responsibility was to check illegal fishing, MFD official said that it was responsibility of provincial government, but the concerned officer Abdul Rahim Somroo was of the view that the federal government had not handed Korengi Fishing Harbour and few other fisheries’ related installations to the provincial government which was mandatory under the 18th constitutional amendment.
He also presented a list of 15 demands before the committee and sought committee’s assistance to get those demands fulfilled. Such an attitude irked the committee members. After extensive discussion which prolonged almost for two hours, the committee directed both the departments to resolve their outstanding disputes and issues within one month.
The committee also asked both the departments to devise a feasible and practicable work plan to enhance Pakistan’s exports to other countries with mutual consultation by October 25 and report back to committee for further recommendations
