KARACHI: To stop all the illegal activities being carried out with impunity at the Karachi Fish Harbour, a ban was imposed by applying Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code through a notification issued by the home department on Wednesday.

The ban will remain effective for two months.

The activities declared banned include unauthorised cutting of fish, unauthorised parking by trolley and truck operators, illegal encroachments, unlawful assembly, chewing and spitting of paan/gutka and similar concoctions, wall chalking and throwing of garbage in the harbour channel.

“The Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) is experiencing multiple difficulties in tackling these activities which are creating nuisance and unhygienic conditions at the fish harbour and required to be discouraged in view of the forthcoming visit of the European Union’s officials concerned,” says the notification.

It also directs the police department to ensure implementation of Section 144 within the jurisdiction of the Karachi Fish Harbour and register relevant complaints.

Sources said that many of these activities were being carried out by well-connected persons and it wouldn’t be easy for the harbour authorities to implement the ban.

Sagheer Ahmed, representing the KFHA, however, said the authority would try its best to ensure complete implementation of the ban with the help of police.

“The ban imposed on the request of KFHA will also facilitate development activities planned next month. They include construction of roads and the boundary wall and improving civic conditions at the harbour,” Mr Ahmed said, adding that the EU visit hadn’t been scheduled yet.

A major ‘clean-up’ operation, he said, was already in progress at the harbour and the channel had been cleared of non-operational and extra boats, debris and garbage.

“It’s the second time in a decade that such a ban has been imposed at the Karachi harbour spread over 84 acres. The first was imposed in 2009,” he said, adding that the fisheries sector contributed $400 million to the exchequer annually.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2018