The Karachi Fish Harbour resumed activity on Monday when the strike that had been called by boat captains and crew ended as a result of talks among all stakeholders. However, during the harbour closure, Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) had filed an FIR with Jackson Police against the leaders in the strike on charges of suspending harbour activities.
The volatility hit the harbour just ahead of the expected visit of EU inspectors next week. The EU has to review the conditions of the fish harbour, seafood processing industries and modified fishing boats before lifting the almost three-year ban to allow Pakistan to export marine raw food to its markets.
The boat captains and crew went on strike against the killing of a colleague in the Balochistan coastal area while he was coming towards Karachi coast, allegedly by Balochistan Fisheries Department last month. The strike was in two uninterrupted periods: first by the boat owners against the killing, which remained for about 18 days.
The second strike began immediately by the boat captains and crew after the boat owners announced to end the first one, demanding assurances from the Balochistan government, in black and white. Talks were held late on Saturday evening among the concerned parties, including Sindh and Balochistan fisheries departments and the representatives of boat owners and fishermen in Balochistan House.
Sindh fisheries minister Zahid Ali Bhurgari, secretaries Sindh and Balochistan fisheries Departments and Chief Secretary Balochistan besides President Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association finally agreed to call off the strike. According to sources in fisheries sector, the Balochistan fisheries department has again assured the local fishermen and boat owners of complete protection in its coastal area.
"Now the boat captains and crew have received clear assurances from the Balochistan government that there will be no violence incident in its jurisdictional seawaters against any of the trawling boat of Karachi," they said. Apologies also came from the Administrator of Fishermen Co-operative Society, [FCS] Jaffer Khawaja, in a public gathering, who said that the government would soon withdraw the FIR against the nominated strike leaders.