Marvi vows to raise Port Qasim issue in Parliament

KARACHI - Pakistan Muslim League leader Marvi Memon on Sunday assured that she would table the issue of the victims of the Port Qasim in the parliaments. Addressing a public gathering here in Razzaqabad area, Malir, held by victims of Port Qasim, whom villages were demolished in which the port was established. She said that the fishers villages were demolished in the name of development but they have never been accommodated in the substitute places nor they have been given jobs in Port Qasim, as the then government had promised them. Criticising the government, the PML leader said that the people have voted while wishing that their tremendous problems would be resolved but unfortunately democratic government failed to meet with the hope of the people. Alleging the PPP-led government, she said that it has been a habit of PPP to violate promises. , she added that when the Port Qasim was to be established, the local settlers were assured in written by the then government that they would be accommodated in the alternate area. Beside 5% employment quota was promised to be allocated for them but so far none of the promises was fulfilled. She said that she will have a meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday (today) in Islamabad, where she will take-up the issue of fishers villages. Later, on the advice of Memon, a three-member committee was formed comprising a local social activist and victims, that will meet with the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Port and Shipping Minister Babar Ghori, and chairman of Port Qasim pertaining the issues. On the occasion, the renowned social activist of the fisher Khuda Dino Shah, fishers leaders Shafi Jamot, Pakistan Fisher folk Forum PFF leader Sami Memon and others also spoke the gathering where they urged the government and ministry of Port and Shipping to provide employ-ments, alternate plots and compensations to the victims. They pointed out that the Port Qasim was established in 1973 by demolishing of at least 35 century old Goths including Misr Baloch Goth, Mulah Bux Baloch Goth, Ali Khan Bux Goth and several other Baloch and Sindhi settles Goths, those were destroyed in the name of development where an industrial zone was to be established. The Port Qasim was initiated by then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto whom government had assured the settlers that they would be provided substitute lands, jobs and also would be provided compensations but despite passing several decades the promises was not fulfilled by any government nor the Port Qasim authorities ready to accommodate the victims. Earlier, the victims took out a big rally from Ghaghar Patak to Malir, urging the government to fulfil their demands.