by Sulman Ali in The Nation blogs, Jan 4, 2021 at 4 :06 PM
One of the most frequently aired news in both Pakistan and India media is the arrest of fishermen of both countries, by the security forces of other state.
Every other day, news channels report that either Pakistan or India has arrested the fishermen for ‘crossing the border’. It has become so common that newspapers and channels report it like regular news, but no reaction is observed over this news; from public, civil society or from the authorities. Now, the fishermen in Pakistan are going to face another predicament in the name of development.
In September, the twin islands of Dingi and Bundal, located at the mouth of Korangi Creek in Karachi were taken over by the federal government. The government took over this land under a presidential ordinance. According to the ruling party, the government is planning to develop a city which will ‘surpass Dubai’. “The mega project worth $50 billion will create 150,000 jobs,” Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said.
On the other hand, Sindh government has rejected the federal government’s takeover of the islands. The provincial government’s information minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that Islamabad hasn’t shared the development project plans with them. “Don’t think of these islands as mere tracts of land, we are linked to them by culture, custom and heritage,” he maintained.
There is political tussle ongoing between the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ruling the centre and Sindh respectively. However, in this scenario the fishermen might be the collateral damage.
According to Sindh Fisheries Department 600,000 people in Sindh are linked to this profession. Furthermore, the coastal waters of Sindh are home of 40 species of fish and shellfish and 15 species of shrimps, which make up 60% of Pakistan’s fisheries export.
Additionally, these islands are one of the oldest fishing points. Fishermen have organized an annual festival on these lands for centuries. One of the organizers and fishermen said that they won’t leave their ancestral place. “[They are] occupying the livelihood of fishermen but also a hope for living for them,” he said.
Another fisherman said that military guards apprehended him recently, when he tried to go to Dingi Island. “They made me ‘murgha’ [stress position] and if we did not do it they said they would hit us with batons,” he added.
As per these fishermen, the government authorities and security forces have taken three major points of fishing from them in last two decades.
Commenting on the development, Environmentalist Arif Hassan said: “The islands are part of a delicate ecosystem. Mangrove marshes are nurseries for fish. They are home to migratory birds and also a buffer between the city and the ocean. This buffer has saved Karachi city during many cyclones.”
Being arrested remains a constant threat for these fishermen. According to an exchanged list in July 2020, India has arrested 97 fishermen, while Pakistan apprehended 270 Indian fishermen. This underlines the gravity of the menace.
In November this year, India released 20 Pakistani fishermen and the scenes of their reuniting were emotional. Some of them were kept in jails for two years, while some spent five years in the Indian jails.
As per reports, some of the minors didn’t recognize their fathers. Shah Alam, a fisherman, told media that his son remained in jail for five years. “Now that my son is back, I will make sure that such a situation never arises again. He has to find another means of earning besides fishing,” he said.
The troubles of these fishermen seem not to end, as on one side there major fishing points are being snatched away by own government, while on the other hand, they have a constant fear of being arrest by the neighboring country. Essentially, they are being sandwiched from both sides-internally and externally.
Thousands of people are linked to this profession, but such policies and circumstances are forcing them to seek new works for their young generations because they don’t want their children to be harassed, alienated and apprehended.
https://nation.com.pk/04-Jan-2021/shunned-pakistani-fishermen-abandoning-profession
Shunned Pakistani fishermen abandoning profession
by Sulman Ali in The Nation blogs, Jan 4, 2021 at 4 :06 PM
One of the most frequently aired news in both Pakistan and India media is the arrest of fishermen of both countries, by the security forces of other state.
Every other day, news channels report that either Pakistan or India has arrested the fishermen for ‘crossing the border’. It has become so common that newspapers and channels report it like regular news, but no reaction is observed over this news; from public, civil society or from the authorities. Now, the fishermen in Pakistan are going to face another predicament in the name of development.
In September, the twin islands of Dingi and Bundal, located at the mouth of Korangi Creek in Karachi were taken over by the federal government. The government took over this land under a presidential ordinance. According to the ruling party, the government is planning to develop a city which will ‘surpass Dubai’. “The mega project worth $50 billion will create 150,000 jobs,” Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said.
On the other hand, Sindh government has rejected the federal government’s takeover of the islands. The provincial government’s information minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that Islamabad hasn’t shared the development project plans with them. “Don’t think of these islands as mere tracts of land, we are linked to them by culture, custom and heritage,” he maintained.
There is political tussle ongoing between the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ruling the centre and Sindh respectively. However, in this scenario the fishermen might be the collateral damage.
According to Sindh Fisheries Department 600,000 people in Sindh are linked to this profession. Furthermore, the coastal waters of Sindh are home of 40 species of fish and shellfish and 15 species of shrimps, which make up 60% of Pakistan’s fisheries export.
Additionally, these islands are one of the oldest fishing points. Fishermen have organized an annual festival on these lands for centuries. One of the organizers and fishermen said that they won’t leave their ancestral place. “[They are] occupying the livelihood of fishermen but also a hope for living for them,” he said.
Another fisherman said that military guards apprehended him recently, when he tried to go to Dingi Island. “They made me ‘murgha’ [stress position] and if we did not do it they said they would hit us with batons,” he added.
As per these fishermen, the government authorities and security forces have taken three major points of fishing from them in last two decades.
Commenting on the development, Environmentalist Arif Hassan said: “The islands are part of a delicate ecosystem. Mangrove marshes are nurseries for fish. They are home to migratory birds and also a buffer between the city and the ocean. This buffer has saved Karachi city during many cyclones.”
Being arrested remains a constant threat for these fishermen. According to an exchanged list in July 2020, India has arrested 97 fishermen, while Pakistan apprehended 270 Indian fishermen. This underlines the gravity of the menace.
In November this year, India released 20 Pakistani fishermen and the scenes of their reuniting were emotional. Some of them were kept in jails for two years, while some spent five years in the Indian jails.
As per reports, some of the minors didn’t recognize their fathers. Shah Alam, a fisherman, told media that his son remained in jail for five years. “Now that my son is back, I will make sure that such a situation never arises again. He has to find another means of earning besides fishing,” he said.
The troubles of these fishermen seem not to end, as on one side there major fishing points are being snatched away by own government, while on the other hand, they have a constant fear of being arrest by the neighboring country. Essentially, they are being sandwiched from both sides-internally and externally.
Thousands of people are linked to this profession, but such policies and circumstances are forcing them to seek new works for their young generations because they don’t want their children to be harassed, alienated and apprehended.
https://nation.com.pk/04-Jan-2021/shunned-pakistani-fishermen-abandoning-profession
Published in Pak Media comment and Pakistan