GROWERS
MULTAN, Nov 02 : Different organisation of farmers ,Peasants, Tennants and Growers reacting over increase in the prices of petroleum products have urged the government to immediately withdraw this raise; otherwise they will be forced to come out on roads to press the rulers for acceptance of their demands.They said,"we need patriotic nationalist and devoting pakistanis in the power,we don't need toadies of foreign powers, employees and well-wishers of IMF & World bank. President of Anjuman Kashtkaran Punjab (AKP)Peerzada Abdul Ali Zakir Usmani said that the increase in the prices of diesel and fertilisers would put an extra burden of Rs 27 billion on the agricultural sector.He said around 20 million bags of DAP are used in the country during Rabi season while around 3.5 billion litre of diesel is used by the farmers for running agricultural implements and tube wells. Peerzada said this increase would result in increasing the prices of wheat, rice, sugar, ghee, maize and cotton upward thus adding to the miseries of people. He said that the increase in the diesel prices had put an extra burden of Rs 15 billion on the agricultural sector while increase in the prices of fertilisers will make the growers to pay Rs 12 billion more. Both these increase collectively put burden of Rs 27 billion on the growers.AKP President said that around 800,000 tractors and 850,000 tube wells were being operated on diesel in the country while from 25 to 30 million of DAP fertilisers would be used during Rabi season. He urged the government to immediately withdraw the increase in the prices of fertilisers and diesel; otherwise the forum would give a call to the growers to come on roads.President, Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) Khurshid Kanju in his statement termed the increase in the diesel and electricity prices as exploitation of the masses.He said that present rulers have failed to provide any sort of relief to the people right from assuming the charge of the government.He said that the prices of electricity, petroleum products, gas and eatables were on the rise instead of decreasing. On the other hand, helicopters and aeroplanes were being bought for the luxury of the rulers, he alleged.He said this increase would also multiply the problems of the farmers and it would ruin the agricultural economy.He feared that it might lead to decrease in the production of wheat and other important crops. They said that the government was taking such steps, which would force the growers to come on roads and in such a case KBP would fully support the farmers for their rights Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafari chairman of small land holdings said that the prices of diesel had been increased at a very important time of the year. He said that this was the time when three major crops were being harvested including rice, sugarcane and cotton while wheat would be sown by the growers.He said that this increase had not only increased the cost of harvesting and sowing of these crops but would also increase the transportation of these commodities to the markets and mills. He said this stop shows that how much importance is given to the agricultural sector by the sitting government. He also urged the government to immediately withdraw this hike in the petroleum prices..
KALABAGH DAM RALLY BEGINS
MULTAN,Nov 2nd:Thousands of barefooted people began Kalabagh dam rally from Jampur underthe leadership of Engr Mumtaz Ahmed Khan chief of Kalabagh dam movement. Kisan Board, Jamaat Islami and Al-Khidmat Foundation also joined the rally.This rally would reach at Multan on November 10 after passing through Dera Ghazi Khazi, Ghazi GHat, Karamdad Qureshi, Basira and Muzaffargarh.Addressing the rally Engr: Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, Khurshid Ahmed Kanju, Khawaja Mohsin Riaz, Ramzan RohariAllah Yar Korai, Malik Afzal Dhadhla, Malik Fayya-ul-Hassan Bhutta, Ghulam Haider Hambhi, Dr.Zahoor Gabol vowed that they would not allow the rulers and Indian agents to make Pakistan a desert like Ethiopia and Somalia and we forced them to construct the Kalabagh dams and other water reservoirs to save the country from starvation and food autarky.They demnanded an engineers conference on this issue of Kalabagh dam because it was a technical issue.It was not a political issue.Participants shouted slogans "Save Pakistan-construct KB dam,"Provide cheaper electricity,promote hydal power system,"
DEMO AGAINST POL PRICES
MULTAN, Nov 2nd: Mutahidda Shehri Mahaz (United Citizen Front) on Tuesday staged a demonstration against price hike of Petroleum products, essential commodities and utility bill.The demo was led by Tariq Naeem-ullah Khan a leader of MSM.. The participants shouted slogans against the federal government. Addressing the demo Malik Allah Rakha of Tractor-trolly Association, Javed Chishti of Rickshaw Union, Haji Mehmood Khan of Mazda Dala Association, Bhola of Tonga Association,Muneer Thaheem, Mehfooz Khan ,Rao Aftab, ilyas rehmani,Nazir Rehman and Haq Nawaz Vance said that present government had raised the slogan of "roti, kapra aur makan" and gifted to nation " starvation or suicide, Coffin and grave. It had grabbed the right of living from the common man.They said that crime had increased to dangerous extent due to hunger and non-availability of commodities.They vowed to continue their protest till the withdrawal of new prices.
MCCI
MULTAN, Nov 2nd: Increasing markup and banking spread is a main hurdle in repayment of industrial loans, Government should take measures to bring dow the rates of markup from two digit to single digit and 18 months moratorium on long term loans besides exemption from social security.It was suggested by Shahid Naseem Khokhar President of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) while addressing a seminar on the problems confronted by the trade & Industry. He said that our neighbouring and competitive countries were providing finances on merely six percent markup but Pakistani industrialists were obtaining loans on 16 to 18 % mark-up plus banking spreads.power and gas load shedding ,the highest tariff contributing in higher production cost. How can we compete in world market in prevailing conditions ?. he asked.He stressed the need for expediting the pace of work on Pak-Iran gas pipeline project to meet the shortage of natural gas, stop the power theft which is not possible without the connivance of the government officials. He demanded for establishment of Engineering, science and women universities in Southern Punjab.Maximum opportunities be prvided to the women entrepreneurs to take part international trade fairs, festivals and exehibitions by the TDAP.Shahid Naseem Khokhar said that export display centre , electrification and gas supply to Industrial Estate phase II.The seminar was also addressed by Syed Iftikhar Ali Shah, Syed Saqib Ali Shah, Ch.Saim Zulfikar, Syed Ali Raza Gardezi,Aurangzeb Alamgir and Mrs.Rabia Shehzad