HYDERABAD, Sept 9: Additional Advocate-General (AAG) Sindh Allah Bachayo Soomro here on Monday sought time to make a statement regarding registration of FIRs against office-bearer of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on October 6 as petitioner’s counsel Abdul Sattar Sarki insisted before the court for a definite statement of police and director fisheries whether other FIRs are also lodged against the petitioner in view of Chotiari dam controversy.

Sarki filed petition on behalf of Ali Murad Mallah, an office-bearer of PFF Sanghar chapter, saying that since August 13, 2008 ten fishing villages including petitioner’s around Baqar lake, Chotiari reservoir (Chotiari Dam) in Sanghar were placed under an undeclared curfew by the local administration to deprive them of fishing in reservoir – the only source of their livelihood for centuries.

He said that respondents Asif Ali Nizamani and Mohammad Qasim Zardari, powerful landlords in connivance with the DPO Sanghar Altaf Leghari, SHO police station Chotiari, Abdul Jabbar Rind and SHO police station Mangli, Zameer Beg Leghari besides the local police had prevented fishermen from fishing in Baqar lake and more than 12,000 people are being prevented from leaving their villages.

He said that since then fishermen were not allowed to operate in reservoir/Baqar lake by respondents who had taken over its control illegally with the help of respondents, Jurio, Mooso, Khalique, Rahim, Punhal. He said that reservoir, known as Chotiari Dam, is main source of fresh water fishing for the province. He said that fishing license of Asif Ali Nizamani, as a sole contractor for the Dam, had expired in 2006.

He said that on August 21,2007, livestock and fisheries department issued a notification through which contract system on inland fisheries was abolished from all water resources of Sindh including Baqar lake, Chotiari reservoir. He said that on June 16, chief minister Qaim Ali Shah announced abolition of licenses to accommodate poor fisher folk and to eliminate middlemen role in fishing industry.

He said that despite notification, Nizamani refused to accept it and with the help of authorities, including director fisheries managed false agreement and occupied the lake. He stated that with the help of respondent Qasim Zardari got Altaf Leghari posted as DPO, who subsequently arrested many fishermen including women, arrested and kept in wrongful confinement for a number of days.

He said that harassment of fisher folk was going on since July 2007 and a number of them were tortured and their roads to communicate with other communities were blocked. He alleged that their fish catches were confiscated as DPO and SHOs are acting on instructions of Nizamani and Zardari, who got registered false FIRs against fishermen for fishing.

He prayed the court to take preventive actions by taking action against respondent police officials for violating law and obeying illegal orders of Asif Nizamani and Qasim Zardari. He prayed the court to direct Regional Police Officer (RPO) Hyderabad to appoint honest officer not below the rank of DIG to visit the Dam. He requested the court to direct police to provide protection to petitioner, his relatives and other fishermen.

DPO Altaf Leghari in his para-wise comments denied allegations and said that he was not got posted by anyone in Sanghar district. He said that allegations of petitioner are baseless. He added that cases were of cognisable offence and registered by affected persons.