Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded a significant rise in revenue from fishing rights after the provincial livestock and fisheries department replaced its manual auction process with an e-auction system. Revenue from fishing rights increased to Rs666 million in the current fiscal year from Rs190 million during the corresponding previous period, representing a 245 per cent increase. The new system was introduced for the auction of fishing rights across 17 public water bodies, most of which are dams, for a three-year lease period. According to official documents cited by Dawn, the previous auction held in 2023 generated Rs190 million, while the latest digital auction produced substantially higher returns for the provincial department. The shift to an online process has also changed how participants compete for fishing rights, with bidding taking place digitally rather than through the earlier manual mechanism. The department introduced the e-auction system last month as part of its efforts to improve the auction process and increase returns from public water resources.
The Tarbela reservoir accounted for the largest increase among the water bodies included in the latest auction. Fishing rights for Tarbela had previously been auctioned for Rs150 million through the manual process. Under the new e-auction system, the rights were awarded for Rs571 million. The department had set a reserve price of Rs350 million for Tarbela after assessing the fisheries production potential of the reservoir. The final bid therefore exceeded the reserve price by a substantial margin. Other water bodies also recorded higher auction values compared with their previous leases. Fishing rights at Gomal Zam Dam increased to Rs33 million from Rs19 million, while Zaibi Dam in Karak saw its auction value rise to Rs3 million from Rs1.2 million during the 2023 to 2026 period. Chitri Dam in Haripur recorded Rs3.2 million compared with Rs1.6 million previously. At Kandar Dam in Kohat, revenue increased from Rs1.1 million to Rs2 million, while the auxiliary Kandar Dam saw its value rise from Rs1 million to Rs4 million. Jalozai Dam in Nowshera also recorded an increase, with the auction value reaching Rs3.9 million from Rs2.7 million.
Several smaller water bodies also generated higher amounts through the latest process. The auction value for Kot Ragha Small Dam in Kurram increased to Rs1.3 million from Rs1.05 million, while Raghghan Small Dam in Bajaur recorded one of the larger increases among the smaller reservoirs, reaching Rs40 million compared with Rs2 million previously. Medani Small Dam in Kurram generated Rs2.5 million, up from Rs2.04 million. Livestock Secretary Zariful Maani said the fisheries department had, for the first time, fixed reserve prices for fishing rights across all 17 public dams and reservoirs included in the 2026 to 2029 lease period. The reserve prices were based on an assessment of the fisheries production potential of each water body. The approach was intended to provide a defined starting point for bidding while allowing market competition to determine the final auction value. The results showed that several final bids exceeded the previously generated amounts, contributing to the overall increase in provincial revenue from the fishing rights.
According to Maani, the e-auction system has also reduced the need for intermediaries and limited human intervention in the auction process. The digital mechanism maintains an electronic audit trail and allows real-time competitive bidding, while eligible participants from across Pakistan can take part remotely. He described the process as the first of its kind in the country and linked it with transparent governance, digital transformation and improved management of fisheries resources. The change also means that participants no longer need to be physically present for the bidding process, widening access to the auctions beyond participants who could attend a conventional auction. With fishing rights for 17 public water bodies now leased for the 2026 to 2029 period, the increase in auction revenue provides the provincial fisheries department with a higher return from these public resources. The results also highlight how moving a government revenue-generating process from manual procedures to a digital platform can alter participation, bidding and financial outcomes.
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