Board of Investment (BoI) Director General, Arif Illahi said the fisheries sector could play an important role in the country economy but to boost the performance of this field, concrete steps and policies have to be chalked out.
He was speaking at a meeting convened for the promotion of investment in fisheries sector of Sindh and Balochistan on Friday.
Sindh Fisheries & Live Stock Secretary Muhammad Siddique Memon, Balochistan Fisheries department Secretary, Abdul Salam Baloch, Marine Fisheries Director General, Syed Qamar Raza, Pasni Fisheries Harbour Authority Managing Director Muhammad Owais, Smeda Provincial Chief Muslim Raza, MD Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority Iqbal Turk, DG Sindh Coastal Development Authority Liaquat Ali, Muhammad Zeeshanul Haq of Balochistan Coastal Development Authority, Masood Raza, Secretary, Pakistan Bankers Association, Muslim Abbasi, Chairman Chief Minister's Investment Cell and others were present.
The meeting was informed that coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan were immensely blessed with marine fisheries but owing to lack of co-ordination between the departments full outcome was not being achieved and thus Pakistan ranked in lowest category of fish exporting countries.
It was emphasised in the meeting that a comprehensive investment project should be devised and capacity and performance in this field should be raised. In this regard emphasise was given upon modern processing of products, better marketing and value addition.
It was decided that a sub-committees would be established for this purpose; a committee in co-ordination with Smeda and Pakistan Bankers Association would prepare recommendations for financing and feasibility while another committee would sort out a report after evaluating reforms in the fisheries sector and the third committee would prepare report regarding measures to promote fisheries sector in Balochistan.