At least 14 fishermen were reported missing on Wednesday after their boat overturned near Thatta, said local sources.
The boat, named Al-Asad, had a crew of around 45 fishermen, out of which 31 were rescued after the incident. The fishermen, hailing from Karachi’s Ibrahim Hyderi, the largest fishermen community, departed on Monday afternoon for a fishing expedition and were expected to return Wednesday.
A survivor, Riaz, stated that the boat was overloaded and they were unaware of rough weather. ‘My brother was also with me,’ he said, adding “I couldn’t save him despite all my efforts.’ Pakistan FisherFolk Forum (PFF) Chairman Mehran Shah shared the list of missing fishermen, which includes Riaz Bengali, Ahmed Bangali, Shakeel Bengali, Sajjad, Koki, Hasho, Riaz Ashraf, Noor Alam, Rahim, Sher Mallah, Muneer, Alam Bengali, Qayoom, and Hussain.
“The families are in agony,” Shah said stating that there was a need for immediate rescue efforts. He criticised the government for its inaction, stating that the Sindh government has not issued any statements or visited the distressed families to offer condolences.
“This is not the first incident where fishermen have been left at the mercy of nature,” Shah added. Deceased Koki’s father Sikandar pleaded for his son’s return saying that Koki’s wedding was planned after the holy month of Ramazan. He added that his son was the sole earner of the family. Echoing her husband’s sentiments, Koki’s mother, Najma, appealed to the government to bring her son back safe and sound.
