Shah wants centre to devolve control of Korangi Fish Harbour to Sindh

Sindh chief minister wants to take advantage of relaxed export policies to EU, directs surveys for fishing products.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the Fisheries Department to expedite transfer of Korangi Fish Harbour to the provincial government in accordance with the spirit of the 18th Amendment.

According to a handout issued on Wednesday, the chief minister chaired a meeting to review the affairs of fisheries department. He noted that since the 18th Amendment in the Constitution had been implemented, the Korangi Fish Harbour was supposed to be handed over to Sindh government. However, he regretted that this has yet to come to pass and that the harbour was neither being made functional nor transferred to the provincial government.

Reviewing further matters, Shah directed that the Karachi Fish Harbour must be exempted from deduction of Fish Export Development Fund during export of products. The issue, he said, must be taken up with the federal government agencies concerned and, in case of any differences on the subject, it will be raised with the Council of Common Interest (CCI).

The meeting also reviewed bottlenecks reported by the Karachi Fish Harbour management. They were directed to formally submit their demands so that the necessary relief can be provided on a priority basis.

The minister for fisheries and livestock highlighted that the area of operation of Karachi Fish Harbour was in need of expansion.

Boosting fish exports to EU

Shah said there was a need to take advantage of the European Union's decision to grant generalised system of preferences (GSP Plus) to Pakistan and export fish. This could be done by expanding the potential of fishing along the coast and in the various lakes.

The chief minister directed the management of Sindh Fisheries Department to prepare and submit short-term and long-term development strategies to bring considerable improvement and development of inland and marine fishing harbours with the capacity to export fish.

For this purpose he said a consultancy firm of international repute should be hired to conduct an extensive survey, and prepare feasibility reports for projects– not exceeding four years –and submit them to Planning and Development Department within shortest possible time for quick processing.

Shah further issued directives to all relevant authorities to approach, and communicate details of Pakistani fishermen languishing in Indian prisons to the Foreign Office . He stressed that the matter of early release of Pakistani fishermen from Indian prisons must be urgently taken up and the procedure must be expedited.

The Sindh Minister for Fisheries & Livestock Jam Khan Shoro, Additional Chief Secretary Development Wasim Ahmed, Secretary Livestock &Fisheries Zafar Iqbal Shaikh, Secretary to the CM Rai Sikandar, Finance Secretary Sohail Rajput, chairman and the managing director of the Karachi Fish Harbour and director general of the Fish Harbour attended the meeting.