Naimat announces development package for fishermen

City Nazim Naimatullah Khan on Monday announced "Fishermen Development Package" for provision of basic facilities in the villages and goths located in coastal belt of Karachi. He was speaking at a seminar on "Problems of Coastal Areas of Karachi and their Resolution" organised by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) at Community Hall of Abdur Rahman Goth Hawksbay in UC Gabupat.
City Nazim said fishermen were benefactors of Karachi as their forefathers laid foundation of city and now it was 20th biggest city in the world.
On civic problems and their resolution, Naimat held he was Nazim of the biggest city of the country and could not resolve all problems of city single-handedly. Every citizen of Karachi would have to play his role to make it an "ideal city".
He demanded Sindh Government to devolve Fisheries Department in city government Karachi so that problem of fishermen of coastal areas could be resolved.
Khan suggested to President General Pervez Musharraf to construct Karachi Southern Bypass like Northern Bypass. This should be constructed from an old goth of coastal area to Ghughar Crossing at National Highway, and appealed to the President to provide funds for that bypass as he gave for the Northern Bypass.
"Construction of Southern Bypass will provide employment to the inhabitants of the coastal areas and would take value of the Hawksbay land and adjacent areas up, he opined. City Nazim deplored despite ban on deep sea fishing by the President, it was not implemented, which was causing losses to fisheries sector. He called for investigation into the lifting of ban on deep-sea fishing.
He announced to open 25 schools in coastal areas, and told the teachers for those schools would be selected from fishermen localities. Besides, two mobile health units would also be introduced to give medical treatment to the residents.
Naimat formed a committee comprising Town Nazim Keamari Zaulfiqar Younas, UC Nazim Mubarak Sango Baloch, Mohammad Ali Shah and others for resolution of water, gas, electricity and others in those areas. This committee will submit report to City Nazim for provision of basic facilities. On devolution of fisheries department in city, he regretted department could not be devolved in city government as envisaged in SLGO, which was creating problems for fishermen.
Zaulfiqar Younas, Mubarak Baloch, Saeed Baloch, Ayub Khaskhaili, M Ali Shah, Dr Tahira, Dr Ijaz, Sikandar Brohi and others also spoke.