A fisheries inspector allegedly kidnapped by the illegal trawlers from Gwadar has been found in Karachi, according to reports. The inspector was on a routine patrol in the Arabian Sea when he was taken away by the trawlers.
The Fisheries inspector, identified as Abdul Mutallib Zamrani, was kidnapped from Gwadar 10 days ago and found in Karachi. There are reports that he has been handed over to the director general of Fisheries Balochistan.
Local sources in Gawadar have said that the patrol teams are frequently attacked or sabotaged during their routine exercise. It was the first time the trawlers have so blatantly kidnapped an inspector. The local fishermen expressed joy and satisfaction with the recovery of the missing inspector. The fishermen appealed to the chief minister and the relevant authorities to rid the coasts of Balochistan of illegal trawlers once and for all.
The marine security agencies of Pakistan initially claimed that the trawlers have been apprehended and Abdul Mutallib safely released. However, the Fisheries officials and his family refuted these claims, saying that he was still in custody and that they had only received a video call confirming that he is alive.
The local fishermen in Gwadar said that the illegal trawler mafia has taken over the coasts of Balochistan due to government negligence. They said that the workers of the Haq Do Tehreek, a movement seeking control of Balochistan’s waters, are rotting in jails, but trawlers kidnapped an inspector for over a week, without the authorities lifting a finger. This serves to prove that the trawler mafia is more powerful than the government and intelligence agencies.