From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Chief Minister of Balochistan on Monday held a meeting with his counterpart of Sindh to discuss mutual issues.
Balochistan CM Abdul Quddus Bizenjo called on Sindh’s chief minister Murad Ali Shah to exchange views over the contentious issues of water and fisheries between the two provinces.
The chief ministers agreed to resolve the issues amicably with mutual understanding. It is pertinent to mention here that Balochistan have grievances over its share of Indus river water the province receives through a canal of Sukkur barrage. The barrage feeds its share of water to Balochistan under inter-provincial water distribution. Balochistan complains getting lesser than the allotted share of water from Sindh for its crops and human consumption. Another issue is dispute over fishing of Sindh’s fishermen in Balochistan waters. The fishermen from Sindh had recently protested against restrictions on them over entering the waters off neighboring Balochistan.
The fishermen’s protest crippled the oil terminal’s operations at Karachi Port in February. They were protesting over the ban on fishing in Balochistan. It is to be mentioned here that the Balochistan government in December last year decided to ensure a complete ban on fishing in the province’s waters and asked the Sindh government to stop its fishermen from entering Balochistan’s waters. The decision was taken to stop illegal fishing by foreign trawlers and Sindh’s fishermen, Balochistan officials said. The chief secretary said the Sindh government must ensure that the fishermen from the province are prevented from fishing in Balochistan, as it was a violation of provincial boundaries.
The Sindh government were told to prevent its fishermen from violating the provincial jurisdiction of 12 nautical miles.
