KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was informed on Tuesday that the rehabilitation of the Karachi Fish Harbour was under way with the cost of over Rs1.5 billion since 2019.

Furnishing a statement in reply to lawmakers’ written and verbal queries during Question Hour, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Abdul Bari Pitafi said that Rs1.5bn had been allocated for the “Rehabilitation and Renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour — External Services”.

Replying to a question asked by Grand Democratic Alliance’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the minister said the salient features of the project included a firefighting system, sewerage network system, underground water tank and pump room, water tower, external electrical works, roads and stone pitching, CCTV system, boundary wall and rehabilitation of floating pontoons.

Replying to another question asked by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf member Sadaqat Hussain, the minister said that the European Union in 2007 had delisted Pakistani firms from exporting fish products to EU countries after their inspectors visited the country and reported a number of deficiencies in the system.

He said that a major development initiative was taken at the harbour as a short-term measure with total cost of Rs507.865 million, which was completed in 2012.

PTI’s resolution demands legislation to prevent unnecessary expenditure on wedding and evil of dowry

As a long-term measure, he said, another scheme ‘Rehabilitation and Renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour — External Services at a total cost of Rs1,616.384m was under execution since 2019.

Palla near extinction due to water shortage Responding to another question, the minister informed the house that the number of palla fish — an anadromous fish, which lives in the sea and migrates into freshwater to lay eggs — was drastically falling and nearing extinction in the Indus River due to acute shortage of water at downstream Kotri because the province was not getting its due share of water as per the Water Accord for the past many years.

He said that the palla was the most unique fish that swam in a straight line against the strong currents of the Indus River from the Arabian Sea for breeding purpose. “It only breeds in the flow of water, hence its breeding in fish hatcheries is not possible,” he added.

Replying to a question by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s parliamentary party leader Rana Ansar, the minister said that the department was only taking steps to conserve the palla through field activities to save the biodiversity.

He said that the breeding of the palla had come to a halt due to shortage of water downstream at Kotri, adding that the palla of Sindh was famous all over the world. “Palla also comes from Iran, but it not that tasty,” he said.

Allowed by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro told the house that there should be 10 million acre-foot of water to the downstream every year under the water accord.

Replying to another question, Mr Pitafi added that the provincial government did not allot land on discounted rates for fish farming, saying that the livestock and fisheries department did not have the provision of land allotment.

In reply to a question by Ms Ansar, the minister said that most of the coastal fishermen villages in district Thatta were deprived of basic facilities, including drinking water supply, drainage system, electricity, gas, schools and primary health centres.

“Main reason is the location of these coastal villages as they are settled in creeks far away from main roads, towns and cities,” he said.

Later, PTI’s Shehzad Qureshi presented a resolution demanding legislation to prevent unnecessary expenditure on marriage and the evil of dowry.

He asked if the government had any bill in this regard, then why this bill was not being presented.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla said that there was also a government bill in this regard. “The government is working on it, so the resolution is of no use,” he said opposing the resolution.

He added that if the bill had not been there, he would have supported this resolution.

Later, Deputy Speaker Rehana Leghari adjourned the house to Friday at 10am for pre-budget discussion in the assembly.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2023