End brutal fishing methods, urges minister

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)Minister for Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Fazal Hakeem Khan Yousafzai has said urged an end to “brutal methods” of fishing.

“Development of livestock and fisheries is among the priorities of the provincial government. The Tehreek-e-Insaf government is taking solid steps for the development of livestock. Steps should be taken to prevent fishing in rivers and dams in brutal ways.”

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting regarding ongoing and new projects of the Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives department.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Muhammad Fakhr Alam, Director General Livestock Extension Muhammad Asal Khan, Director General Research Dr.Ejaz Ali , Director Gerenal Fisheries Shafi Marvat and other relevant officials.

In the meeting, the provincial minister was briefed in detail on projects under the annual development programme of the department, as well as affairs of the department and other issues.

During the briefing, it was informed that work was in progress on a total of 48 projects of livestock, fisheries and cooperatives. Overall, 30 ongoing and 18 new projects were included.

The estimated cost of these projects is Rs2.7 billion. These new projects include 12 in livestock extension, four in Fisheries and two in livestock research.

Fisheries Director General Shafi Marwat, while giving a briefing regarding his department, said that 38 dams, managed by the Fisheries department, have been given to private investors on a three-year lease under an open bid.

From this, millions of rupees have been given to the government annually. Under the annual development programme, plans are underway to build fisheries ponds in the province. The government pays fifty percent of the expenses incurred on the pond.

However, due to the low budget availability of the department for the last few years, fish farmers are facing difficulties in paying the arrears.