Expressing anger over the alleged harassment of the chairman and five leaders of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), members of the fishermen community along with civil society activists held a protest outside the local press club on Tuesday.
It is reported that PFF Chairman Muhammad Ali Shah, District Sujawal President Noor Muhammad Theamore and four other members of the fisherfolk community were held hostage and brutally tortured by goons of Shoukat Ali Malkani, an influential landlord and brother of provincial fisheries minister, Muhammad Ali Malkani.
The incident took place in Taluka Shah Bunder, UC Ladiyoun in District Sujawal on Monday. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the inhuman victimisation of the PFF leaders and demanded immediate arrest of Shoukat. They also called for legal action to be taken to end illegal occupation of lakes, which was a human rights violation.
Addressing a rally, the PFF’s chief said, “The harassment, victimisation and all other kinds of inhuman treatments meted out to us cannot suppress our strength.” He said the provincial minister had illegally occupied the historical lake Babli with the help of his men who were armed with weapons. “The illegal occupation of indigenous lakes by these feudal lords continues in spite of the Sindh High Court’s notification to end illegal occupation of all water bodies of Sindh.”
Shah further added: “These landlords are snatching the bread and butter of the underprivileged fishing community.” The PFF chief vowed to continue the struggle until all lakes were vacated of illegal occupations.
Addressing the Sindh chief minister and the provincial police and Rangers chiefs, Shah demanded removal of Muhammad Ali Malkani as the fisheries minister and arrest of his brother, warning that if the demands were not met the CM House would be surrounded as part of the PFF’s struggle.
Rallies against the PFF leaders' harassment were also held in various other district of Sindh, including Sujawal, Thatta, Sanghar, Badin and Hyderabad.
Malkani’s denial
Muhammad Ali Malkani, however, said that neither he nor any other member of his family harassed Shah or any other PFF leader. “I also refute the allegation of occupation of lakes... it is a baseless allegation. In fact, the Sindh government is itself against the occupation of lakes,” Malkani told The News.
