Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) Chairman Mohammad Ali Shah
has claimed that he was abducted and kept in illegal confinement
allegedly by an influential PPP leader in Sindh's Sujawal district.
After being released on Monday, Shah told that he was kidnapped along with two associates a day earlier. He said he was abducted as a punishment for his proactive role against the illegal occupation of a lake in Sujawal.
Police
have not lodged a first information report (FIR) of the incident as
yet, however, Shah claimed that although he had approached the relevant
police station, the police were reluctant to even record his statement
in this regard.
The alleged incident took place within
the limits of Ladiyon police station, he said, adding: "We went to
Ladiyon police [station] but our statement was not recorded by police."
Shah told Dawn
over telephone that they were kept in illegal confinement by the
henchmen of a local PPP leader whereas Shah's associates, Noor Mohammad
Thaheem and Khadim Wanghai, were subjected to torture.
"I
am at a hospital in Sujawal for medical treatment of my two associates.
I wasn't harmed but I was certainly detained in the guestroom of the
ruling party leader,” Shah said, without naming the PPP leader.
When
contacted, Hyderabad DIG Javed Alam Odho said that registration of an
FIR is the right of each and every individual. “We will definitely lodge
a case but [at this stage] an inquiry needs to be made [into the
accusations].
"I have asked Sujawal SSP to record his statement as per requirement,” said Odho.
The
PFF has been raising its voice over illegal occupation of freshwater
bodies in different areas of Sindh. The forum has been resisting the
illegal occupation and demanding the introduction of licence system for
fishing.
“There are 500 freshwater bodies which are under
illegal control of influential figures in the area. And this lake which
I had visited is one of them,” Shah explained while referring to Babli
lake in Sujawal district’s Shahbander taluka.
“The
influential personality was allegedly erecting embankments around the
lake. I visited the lake and took some photographs of it. While we were
returning from the spot, around 40 to 50 armed men intercepted us and
took us to a village,” the PFF chairperson said while narrating his
ordeal.
Shah also alleged that his associate Thaheem was
even stripped off his clothes and a video was recorded by his
tormentors. He alleged that he himself was detained at the autaq (guesthouse) of a brother of the influential PPP leader.
"Subsequently,
the leader’s brother came there to get me freed. It was all just a
drama," he said, adding that everything had been done as part of a plan.
The PFF had launched a successful struggle against
contract system for fishing at lakes and the Sindh government abolished
it while introducing licence system in the province.
"But
still lakes and other freshwater bodies are forcibly occupied by
influential persons and fishermen are denied their due right," Shah
added.
Taking notice of reports about alleged abduction
of the PFF chairman, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal directed SSP
Thatta to nominate an inquiry officer and immediately submit a report
detailing investigation into the incident and legal action taken against
the accused persons, a press release said.
