Eight fish harbours in Balochistan coastal area on the cards

QUETTA: The Balochistan government is planning to establish eight fish harbours in its coastal areas to boost and revamp the much declined fishing business in the province which is already in dilapidated condition for the last many years.

The Chief Minister chaired a meeting held here on Monday and made important decisions regarding fisheries department, said a press release.

The provincial government has also decided to provide basic facilities to the fishermen and other people associated with the fisheries.

“Pasni Fish Harbour will be constructed at a new site as the existing harbor site due to soil accumulation has been abandoned for the last 10 years as the situation does not improve even after dredging,” said the chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan.

The chief minister during an official meeting with the provincial Fisheries Department said that the government had also been planning to rebuild the Pasni fish harbor as it was paying Rs 1.5 billion in the lieu of salaries of the employees where the harbor was inactive.

During the meeting the CM said, “The institutions shall be profitable where the government is preparing to put a halt on the loss-making institutions of the province.”

The CM took notice of the grant given by Japan for developing the fish harbor, dredging of the coast and other affairs pertaining to the fisheries department.

The CM remarked, “The fish harbours and jetties are a healthy source of income and employment creation for the local fishermen across the world but unfortunately the situation in Balochistan is totally different and these institutions here are not contributing their share in strengthening the economy and employment of the local community.”

The CM said there was lack of planning and sincerity within the departments and institutions in the province that was the reason that the revenue generating departments has also been depending on the government’s grant.

Jam Kamal had directed the department to examine the establishment of fish harbor and jetties under an independent authority in the coastal area with the help of public and private partnership. The department should also advertise invitation of investment for feedback of investors in the daily newspapers, he added.

The chief minister also directed to exploit latest techniques to build the fish market and storage plants in the coastal areas in order to promote fishing business in the province and the board of revenue should complete the feasibility report of these new projects.

“The government will take more steps to save the fishermen’s livelihood and life”, he ensured adding the department should complete the land requisition process soon to establish eight new jetties in the coastal areas.