KARACHI: The Pakistan Government have sanctioned Rs 12 lakhs for the purchase of fishing-boats, Dawn reliably learnt on Tuesday [Oct 9]. These boats fitted with modern equipment of river-survey will also hunt out suitable regions in both the wings of Pakistan for the development of fisheries.

Informed sources said that the development of [a] fishery in East Pakistan on a commercial basis was under the active consideration of the Pakistan Government.

Foreign experts ... may be called for the purpose. A high Pakistani official has been entrusted with the work of general check-up of the entire Fishery Department. A reorganisation in the set-up was not ruled out by informed sources. It was pointed out that private individuals in East Pakistan had been earning lakhs of rupees every year by the crude `catch-and-sell` method without caring for the future development of [a] fishery in East Pakistan.

In case the development of [a] [fishery] is taken-up in right earnest, it will become a constant source of income to the Government of Pakistan. Staff correspondent