Donkeys and sharks dominate assembly session
Fisheries Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani says decline is due to overhunting
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro said that he did not know whether the donkey meat was consumed by Lahoris or someone else but the hides have been recovered from Karachi. "The food department is looking into the issue," he said. PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
There has been an 81% decline in the population of sharks since 1999, the Sindh Assembly was told on Friday.
During the question-and-answer session, Fisheries Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani referred to the recent stock assessment resources survey conducted by the food and agriculture ministry in collaboration with the marine fisheries department. He said that the population of sharks is declining due to overhunting and lack of resource collateral management among neighbouring countries, including Iran, Oman and Pakistan. "The commercialisation in fisheries, increased number of fishing fleet and marine pollution are the main reasons of the decline in shark population, which are now producing limited babies," he said.
Answering another question about providing monetary assistance to fishermen, he said the Sindh government has decided to give Rs10,000 monthly to families of detained fishermen languishing in Indian jails. Justifying the financial help, the minister said that since the detained fishermen are their only breadwinners for their families, the government has decided to help them financially.
On Sukkur's contaminated water: Sindh Assembly turns down MQM-Pakistan's adjournment motion
Regarding the living standard and health security of fishermen who fish in boats, he said, "In the boat, no health security has been provided. However, in order to improve the standard of fishermen, the government has taken initiatives such as construction of a model village at Manchar and Keenjhar lakes and Zero Point in Badin. We have also initiated fishermen colony at Kotri’s downstream.”
Donkey meat
The issue of donkey hides recovered from Karachi was also raised in the assembly session. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Mohammad Dilawal Qureshi said, "More than 4,000 hides have been recovered and we want to know where the meat was sold or consumed." He said the price of each donkey ranges between Rs100,000 and Rs300,000 while the hide is sold for between Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. "They must have sold the meat somewhere to earn the money back,” he said. “We have learnt [through media reports] that the meat is sold in Lahore.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro said that he did not know whether the donkey meat was consumed by Lahoris or someone else but the hides have been recovered from Karachi. "The food department is looking into the issue," he said.
Donkey meat in Lahore, hides in Karachi
During the session, Kamran Akhtar of MQM moved a call attention notice to equip the fire tenders in Karachi to deal with fire incidents.
When MQM’s Heer Soho inquired about the government's efforts for Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted through mosquitos, Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that it not a deadly virus as no one has so far died because of it.
‘Bigger than Panama’
Talking to media outside the Sindh Assembly, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hasan said his party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking powers for the Karachi mayor and elected representatives of local bodies. "We have requested the court to empower all the elected representatives to resolve people's problems," he said, adding that this petition was more important than the Panama Papers case. He added that the provincial government and its ministers' hegemony will be ended with the court's orders.
Sindh Assembly passes resolution demanding Nawaz's resignation
Talking about the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centres inaugurated by the federal interior minister on Friday, he said, "The federal minister should take notice of the agent mafia working in front of NADRA offices in Karachi," he said, adding that in the name of police verification, NADRA officials are minting money from the public.
Criticising the PM
Transport Minister Nasir Shah, however, criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over his recent meeting with Indian nationalist Sajjan Jindal who happens to be a close friend of Nawaz. "India has created a mess on our border and in the country,” he said. “In this situation, the PM should have avoided a secret meeting with his business partner and friend Jindal."
Talking about the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway, he said the Sindh government has also taken notice of it and conveyed the grievances of the people to authorities engaged in the project.
There has been an 81% decline in the population of sharks since 1999, the Sindh Assembly was told on Friday.
During the question-and-answer session, Fisheries Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani referred to the recent stock assessment resources survey conducted by the food and agriculture ministry in collaboration with the marine fisheries department. He said that the population of sharks is declining due to overhunting and lack of resource collateral management among neighbouring countries, including Iran, Oman and Pakistan. "The commercialisation in fisheries, increased number of fishing fleet and marine pollution are the main reasons of the decline in shark population, which are now producing limited babies," he said.
Answering another question about providing monetary assistance to fishermen, he said the Sindh government has decided to give Rs10,000 monthly to families of detained fishermen languishing in Indian jails. Justifying the financial help, the minister said that since the detained fishermen are their only breadwinners for their families, the government has decided to help them financially.
On Sukkur's contaminated water: Sindh Assembly turns down MQM-Pakistan's adjournment motion
Regarding the living standard and health security of fishermen who fish in boats, he said, "In the boat, no health security has been provided. However, in order to improve the standard of fishermen, the government has taken initiatives such as construction of a model village at Manchar and Keenjhar lakes and Zero Point in Badin. We have also initiated fishermen colony at Kotri’s downstream.”
Donkey meat
The issue of donkey hides recovered from Karachi was also raised in the assembly session. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Mohammad Dilawal Qureshi said, "More than 4,000 hides have been recovered and we want to know where the meat was sold or consumed." He said the price of each donkey ranges between Rs100,000 and Rs300,000 while the hide is sold for between Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. "They must have sold the meat somewhere to earn the money back,” he said. “We have learnt [through media reports] that the meat is sold in Lahore.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro said that he did not know whether the donkey meat was consumed by Lahoris or someone else but the hides have been recovered from Karachi. "The food department is looking into the issue," he said.
Donkey meat in Lahore, hides in Karachi
During the session, Kamran Akhtar of MQM moved a call attention notice to equip the fire tenders in Karachi to deal with fire incidents.
When MQM’s Heer Soho inquired about the government's efforts for Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted through mosquitos, Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that it not a deadly virus as no one has so far died because of it.
‘Bigger than Panama’
Talking to media outside the Sindh Assembly, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hasan said his party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking powers for the Karachi mayor and elected representatives of local bodies. "We have requested the court to empower all the elected representatives to resolve people's problems," he said, adding that this petition was more important than the Panama Papers case. He added that the provincial government and its ministers' hegemony will be ended with the court's orders.
Sindh Assembly passes resolution demanding Nawaz's resignation
Talking about the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centres inaugurated by the federal interior minister on Friday, he said, "The federal minister should take notice of the agent mafia working in front of NADRA offices in Karachi," he said, adding that in the name of police verification, NADRA officials are minting money from the public.
Criticising the PM
Transport Minister Nasir Shah, however, criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over his recent meeting with Indian nationalist Sajjan Jindal who happens to be a close friend of Nawaz. "India has created a mess on our border and in the country,” he said. “In this situation, the PM should have avoided a secret meeting with his business partner and friend Jindal."
Talking about the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway, he said the Sindh government has also taken notice of it and conveyed the grievances of the people to authorities engaged in the project.