Efforts for lifting of EU ban on Pakistan's seafood export may receive a blow, as private and official stakeholders of the fisheries sector were altogether ignored on Board of Director of Fishermen Co-operative Society (FCS) in the recent nomination. "No government or private sector official has been nominated on the Board of Directors, which may widen the gap between the fishermen and government on a number of issues," sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday.
The FCS annual income through auctioning of seafood accumulates at least Rs 150 million to invest on fishermen welfare and carry out key works to ensure safe landing of fish and shrimp, they said. Seven members from the fishermen community were elected to Board of Directors in recent elections while the government nominated its eight members to complete the process as per the FCS bylaws.
However, as none of the government nominated members has been chosen as director from the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) or seafood exporters associations, they said. "The MFD and KFHA along with seafood exporters are the key stakeholders of the fisheries sector but their representations lack on the board to jointly make efforts for the removal of EU ban," they said.
Some government-nominated directors were also on the Board during the last set up including the administrator Saeed Baloch who is now the chairman of the society, while some are new, they added. In the past, there were eight members from the government institutions while seven used to come through polls as director. For instance, the provincial minister would serve the FCS as chairman, they added.
During the last government, sources said, the Sindh Food, Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Sardar Manzoor Ali Khan Phanwar was the chairman of the society. It was a pleasant tradition coming since long to have a blend of directors from fishermen and government to solve all problems on a single platform. Also, prior to 2002, the government had nominated its eights directors to the FCS board, including Commodore Syed Tayyab Naqvi, Secretary Sindh Livestock and Fisheries Department, DG MFD, an official from former Export Promotion Bureau (Trade Development Authority of Pakistan), Chief Executive SMEDA, Town Nazim of Keamari, Chairman Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association, and Hadiyatullah Kangi, they said.
"Such a blend would always help the society and the government to move forward for the betterment of the fish harbour, they said, adding that the important issue of EU ban lifting is now difficult to find an effort for the lack of a joint board of directors.
"The bylaws of FCS never stop the government from nominating whosoever it finds fit for the job as director but the traditions was different from what this time has happened," sources pointed out.
Talking to Business Recorder, Director Fishermen Co-operative Society (FCS), Asif Bhatti, said that it did not matter whether the government nominees serve the society, though there were advantages of having a joint board. He said the Fishermen Co-operative Society (FCS) directors, however, have been nominated on the KFHA board where both organisations could discuss things related to the EU ban and other issues. He said the nominating pattern for board largely depends on the government's policies.
He said it was not necessary the chairman or all eight directors should be nominated through government departments. He said commodore Tayyab Naqvi was a serving official of Pak Navy who also served the FCS as chairman as per the then government's policy. He hoped all the issues between the KFHA and FCS will solve soon.
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