PASNI: A three-year-long bitter dispute between local fishermen and boat owners/traders in Pasni has been resolved, bringing an end to a costly month-long strike that had paralyzed the local fishing industry.
The breakthrough was achieved in a high-level meeting presided over by Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Naqibullah Kakar and MPA Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman. The deadlock, which had even proceeded to courts, centered on the employment of captains from Sindh. Local fishermen had maintained that Sindhi captains could not operate boats in Pasni waters, while boat owners argued they had no alternative due to a shortage of local captains.
The final agreement grants conditional permission for 25 identified Sindhi captains to fish. A key condition set by the local fishermen and firmly upheld by the Deputy Commissioner is the strict prohibition of “circling” — a fishing method already banned under the Balochistan Fisheries Department ordinance but a point of major contention.
DC Naqibullah Kakar affirmed that fish prices would now be set according to local laws under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner, addressing another core grievance. He then directed all parties to end the strike and resume fishing activities immediately.
The strike had inflicted losses worth millions of rupees on both fishermen and traders. All stakeholders, including the Fish Company and Traders Association, expressed gratitude to the officials for the amicable resolution, hoping it paves the way for sustainable and cooperative fishing operations in the region.
