Balochistan honours FAO legal expert Sharafat Chaudhry for fisheries reforms

The Balochistan government has formally honoured Sharafat Ali, legal expert with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to one of the most significant legal and policy reforms in the province’s fisheries sector.

At a high-level ceremony held at the FAO Office in Quetta, Mr. Sharafat Ali was presented with a Letter of Recognition, a Certificate recognizing him as the Author of the Balochistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Legislative Framework, and a commemorative shield honouring his dedicated technical leadership in developing a modern legal framework aimed at transforming Balochistan’s blue economy. The awards were presented by the Chief Guest, Member of the Provincial Assembly Maulana Hidayat Rehman, on behalf of the Government of Balochistan.

Ahead of the award ceremony, Mr. Tariq Qamar Baloch, Secretary, Fisheries and Coastal Development Department (F&CDD), chaired the Fourth Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting, where members unanimously endorsed the final drafts of the six sets of Rules prepared under the Balochistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2026. Describing the legal framework as a landmark achievement for the province, he praised the collaborative efforts of government institutions, FAO, and stakeholders, while paying special tribute to FAO Legal Expert Mr. Sharafat Ali and the technical team whose work laid the foundation for the province’s modern fisheries and aquaculture governance framework.

The recognition formed part of the Fourth Technical Working Group Meeting and Project Outputs Handing Over Ceremony under the Gwadar Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project-II (GLLSP-II), jointly implemented by FAO and the Government of Balochistan. The event marked the successful completion of an extensive reform process that produced the Balochistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, the Balochistan Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, six sets of implementing Rules, a 10-Year Sector Action Plan (2026–2035) and a Policy Support Programme.

Among the distinguished participants were Mr. Waleed Mahdi, International Programme Coordinator and Head of FAO Office Quetta; Mr. Asif Lehri, representing the Project Director of GLLSP-II; Dr. Kanwar Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Senior Policy Specialist, FAO; Dr. Allauddin Kakar; senior officials of the Government of Balochistan; representatives of the Law Department; national maritime institutions; academia; fisheries experts; aquaculture associations; fisherfolk organisations; women representatives from coastal communities; the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and development partners.

During the technical session, Mr Sharafat Ali presented the final draft of the Balochistan Marine and Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Rules, 2026, explaining how recommendations from FAO,s Legal Office in Rome had been incorporated to strengthen legal certainty, improve consistency with the Act, modernise licensing and fisheries management systems, and enhance the enforceability of the province’s regulatory framework. Participants unanimously praised the quality and technical standard of the legal instruments and endorsed their early promulgation.

In his concluding remarks, Secretary F&CDD Mr. Tariq Qamar Baloch paid special tribute to the FAO technical team, specifically acknowledging the contributions of Mr. Sharafat Ali, Dr. Kanwar Muhammad Javed Iqbal and Mr. Waleed Mahdi for their pivotal role in drafting the province’s fisheries policy and legal framework. He described the reforms as placing Balochistan at the forefront of fisheries governance in Pakistan and providing a foundation for sustainable sectoral growth, food security and future public investment.