Central Executive Committee (CEC) of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has demanded that a high-level probe commission headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court be constituted to investigate the real causes of decline in cotton production and incurring a huge loss of Rs 50 billion.
Presiding over a meeting, PCGA chairman Nawab Shahzad Ali Khan said that it was a national tragedy that national cotton policy could not be framed so far and approval of the cotton seed act and breeders proprietary rights act were delayed. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should come forward to save the Rs 1500 billion cotton economy and he should fix the production target at 20 million bales for the next season and well-germinated and internationally certified seed be provided to farmers to achieve the targets.
He said that farmers have suffered a loss of Rs 50 billion during this season and they are forced to sell their cattle heads to meet their daily expenses. He warned that entire cotton economy would be collapsed in Pakistan and all ginning factories, textile mills, power looms would come to a standstill if the proposals of PCGA were not accepted in letter and in spirit. He said that farmers were forced to shift themselves to other crops if incentives were not given to them. He suggested the government should provide qualitative seed, fertilisers and other inputs on subsidize rates to stand them on their own feet.
He further suggested that Chief Minister Punjab should organise an emergency task force and a monitoring cell to ensure the proper cultivation of cotton in the belt. He urged upon the government to approve the cotton seed act and breeders proprietary rights act forthwith to protect the interest of the growers who had suffered a huge loss at the hands of unscrupulous elements and seed mafia.
He held the ministry of textiles responsible for all ills and it failed to redress the grievances of all stakeholders of cotton. He demanded for constitution of an advisory council comprising all stakeholders of the cotton. The meeting was attended by Haji Muhammad Akram, Group Chairman, Ex-Chairmen Haji Hafeez Anwar, Mukhtar Ahmed Baloch, Amanullah Qureshi, Mahesh Kumar, Sheikh Muhammad Saeed and member of Central Executive Committee.