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Compensation cheques distributed among victims

KARACHI: Sindh Fisheries Minister Iftikhar Soomro has distributed compensation cheques among 12 families of fishermen who died last year when their boat Al-Lahoti capsized in deep sea while fishing.

A general insurance company EFU paid claim of Rs 100,000 to each of the victim families under an insurance scheme introduced by Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS). The ceremony was held here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said out of 750 tonnes of catch per year, only 10 percent is exported and suggested that instead 90 percent of the total catch should be exported.

Quoting the example of Bangladesh which exports seafood worth $800 million yearly, the minister said Pakistan's exports stood at only $120 million.

Earlier, FCS Chairman Commodore Syed Tayyab Naqvi in his address said so far 13,000 fishermen have been covered under the insurance scheme which will provide insurance to all fishermen.ÑAPP