The unchecked entering of trucks transporting seafood from areas adjacent to Iran and Indian borders into Karachi fish harbour has given rise to security concerns among the seafarers who blame the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) for being indifferent to the situation.
"Mainly these trucks bring fish like Maya, Tapori and Chind from areas near Iran border including Gwadar, Pasni and Jiwani and trash fish and Kiddi shrimp from Sir Creek and Keti Bunder close to Indian sea border," said President Bona Fide Fishermen and Boat Owners Welfare Association Asif Bhatti on Thursday.
He said the loaded trucks entered the fisheries unchecked giving rise to fears that they might transport explosives into the red zone area near the naval installations and Karachi seaport for sabotaging activities. Responding to the authority's move to clamp down on the outlaws at fisheries, he said "we [fishermen] want crime-free fish harbour where everyone could seek better opportunities for business and services but oppose the KFHA's fresh move of seeking magisterial powers for its MD".
He said the fishermen community were concerned that the magisterial powers would lead to a greater disturbance at the fisheries instead of bringing normalcy to the area. "It is feared the law abiding fishermen will be the first victim of the dictatorial powers the MD is seeking for himself," he added.
Bhatti suggested that the KFHA should first properly utilise its legal and constitutional powers to flush out the abandoned boats from the harbour's navigational channel, which according to him, had become a "safe heaven" for the outlaws. The former MDs of the KFHA had the magisterial powers, which proved "disastrous" to the local fishermen, he said adding that "be it in 1993 or 1994, all the MDs had such powers on the pretext of bringing normality to the harbour but to no avail".
Bhatti said that the KFHA officials should take action against the outlaws to end the illegal activities at the fisheries and if it did not work the authority may seek the magisterial powers. "The officials are not interested in taking actions against the land grabbers, criminals and extortionists," he alleged.
Supporting the KFHA's policy to eliminate the no-go areas, extortionists and drug peddlers from the harbour, he demanded that the authority should first take the fishermen into confidence before any such clampdown. When contacted the KFHA officials, they denied the charges that the authority had failed to crack down on outlaws. "The KFHA is planning to start registering the incoming trucks, their consignees, consigners, place of discharge, etc, to streamline the harbour activities," they pointed out. They said the KFHA was aware of the resistance and resentment of the fishermen and other stakeholders against the authority's policy but it was ready to face challenges of such nature to make the harbour a better place for business and export.
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