KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he would approach the federal government for imposing a ban on the import of a destructive type of fishing nets, known as Gujo-Bulo.He said this during his meeting with a delegation of the Balochistan fisheries department led by its parliamentary secretary Barkat Rind.

The two sides discussed collaborative projects aimed at boosting the fisheries sector to improve the livelihood of local fishermen.The CM was assisted by his Advisor Livestock & Fisheries Najmi Alam

The fisheries officials from both the provinces highlighted that the use of Gujo-Bulo fishing nets for catching fish was destroying fish seedlings, depleting fish stocks, and leaving fishermen unemployed.

They emphasised the need for appropriate measures to stop the import of those fishing nets.

Balochistan fisheries official tells CM Gujo-Bulo nets are destroying fish seedlings, depleting fish stocks, and leaving fishermen unemployed

Mr Shah said that he would talk to the federal government to ban the import of such nets.In the meeting, the CM directed the Sindh fisheries department to launch welfare schemes for fishermen and collaborate with the Balochistan government to launch similar schemes there also.

The CM decided that the fisheries departments of both the provinces should enhance coordination so that the export of seafood could be increased.

Meanwhile, the CM and a delegation of the United Nations in Pakistan, led by its Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRC) Mohamed Yahya, discussed ongoing and future collaboration and support between the provincial government and the UN to meet the challenges of climate change in their meeting at the CM House.

The UN coordinator acknowledged the contributions of the Sindh government in providing an enabling environment to UN agencies and their partners in carrying out interventions in the province by the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which is an agreement between the UN in Pakistan and the government to work on key areas aligned with the country’s development.

Mr Shah said that the Sindh government has recently notified a provincial steering committee to oversee and guide the implementation of the framework at the provincial level.

The UN in Pakistan has allocated $4.7 billion, as well as its expertise and resources, to work in five key priority areas – basic social services, climate change and environment, gender equality and women’s empowerment, inclusive economic growth, and governance.

The chief minister and the UN coordinator discussed the long-term strategic visioning and proper implementation of the Sindh Comprehensive Growth Strategy and Poverty Reduction Strategy. The UN has a significant presence in Sindh with interventions encompassing health, education, livelihoods, poverty alleviation, nutrition, enterprise development and climate-resilient agriculture and water management, Mr Shah said.

Mr Yahya expressed appreciation for the housing project for flood-affected people. He mentioned that he had visited the houses constructed in Sujawal and emphasized the need for donor agencies to provide more facilities for the residents of flood-resilient houses.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024