HYDERABAD, April 19: A large number of fishermen held a protest demonstration on the bed of the River Indus on Tuesday against the award of what they called illegal contract for catching fish from Jamshoro to Jherruck. Reports said when the contractor, along with his men, reached the Kotri Barrage and ordered fishermen to go away, they raised strong resistance and the contractor and his companions left the place.

The fishermen remained there the whole day.

Speaking on the occasion, Allah Dino Mallah, Mohammad Hashim Mallah and Moh-

ammad Rahim Mallah said it was after seven years that water had been released downstream Kotri.

They said although the Sindh government had abolished the contract system for catching fish, some officials of the fisheries department had awarded illegal contracts.

They maintained that the fishermen had exclusive rights over the Indus waters and they would not acknowledge any contractor. They said they would offer resistance if the contractor tried to enter the river.

They warned that if any pressure or violence was used against them, they would observe strikes right from Jamshoro to Jherruck.

CM BLAMED: Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League and the Muslim Students Federation, Sindh chapter, have held Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim responsible for the existing uncertainty, confusion and crisis in the party.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Tuesday, they demanded that allegations levelled against Dr Rahim by Sindh PML general secretary Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh should be investigated.

Rejoicing over party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s statement that the inquiry committee had cleared the sacked revenue minister of all charges, they demanded that Mr Shaikh should immediately be reinstated as the minister.

They claimed that the party central general secretary had asked Mr Shaikh to speed the membership campaign in Sindh and the last date for membership had been extended up to June 20.

Those who were present at the news conference included Pir Sajjad Jan Sarhandi, Lala Mir Hassan, Agha Zafarullah Shaheen, Badar Iqbal, Mir Mohammad Khokhar, Sardar Iqbal Solangi and Mir Sher Mohammad Talpur.