Pakistan is likely to retain its arbitrarily placed suspension on the seafood export to the EU for unimproved sanitary conditions at the fish harbour, sources said Monday. A deadline of October 20 that Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), Federal Ports and Shipping Ministry had set for a review of the harbour conditions is ending today. The MFD had suspended the issuance of certificates to all seafood consignments for the EU on September 9, 2015 on unhygienic handling of catch.
The MFD had asked Fishermen Co-operative Society (FCS) to step up to improve the auction facilities conditions and implement all rules that the EU had specified for import from Pakistan. The MFD had set the deadline to the FCS, which is responsible for maintaining hygiene at fisheries auction facilities, to improve conditions.
According to fisheries sources, the FCS, which is facing cash crunch, had again ignored the MFD warning and paid no attention to improve the conditions at all facilities falling in its domain. The financial condition of FCS with management also continues to worsen with each passing day hampering the progress on harbour betterment.
Term of the elected governing body of FCS is expiring on October 21 after which the society would turn into an ungoverned non-governmental institution. The FCS is also facing litigations in court. The FCS bank accounts have been seized on court orders, leaving its operation halted. A society's representative, Haji Khan Mir Khan had also made it clear in a meeting of official stakeholders that FCS had no finances to carry out work on the auction halls revamping. Fisheries sources claimed that the unsanitary conditions were still at the auction halls with all deficiencies in place that the MFD had pointed out in its letter before suspending the export certification.
Karachi Fish Harbor Authority (KFHA) however dispatched a letter to Sindh Co-operation Department to deal with the FCS management issues tactfully and improve management. However, the concerned department had not responded yet, according to the sources, adding that the MFD was unlikely to change its decision and may retain the suspension.
Talking to Business Recorder, acting DG, MFD, Israr Ahmed said that the department was compiling all reports on the fisheries facilities condition and "will review it today". He said the deadline had been set as October 20.