HYDERABAD: Scores of activists of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and civil society organisations began a two-day token hunger strike here on Thursday in protest against occupation of around 600 sweet water lakes in Sindh by feudal lords, influential politicians and persons.

They set up a token hunger strike camp outside the local press club where they shouted slogans against occupation of lakes in Sindh.

Leading the protest, PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah told reporters that the PFF peacefully and democratically had been fighting against lease or contractor system over lakes for around 10 years.

Then the Sindh government brought an amendment in 2011 to Sindh Fisheries Act 1980 by abolishing the word “lease” from the act, he added.

He said fishermen heaved a sigh of relief, but since then, those feudal lords, influential politicians and persons scaled up illegal possession of the lakes and had occupied around 600 lakes so far in various districts, including Thatta, Sujawal, Shaheed Benazirabad, Shikarpur and others.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2018