MULTAN - The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has hurled a threat that ginning factories will stop purchasing cotton from January 10 if the government does not start buying cotton through Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
Talking to the journalists here, PCGA Chairman Aman Ullah Qureshi alleged that the secretary textile safeguarded the interests of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) as he used delaying tactics to linger on cotton procurement campaign. He said that the secretary was involved in exploitation of ginners and poor farmers, asking the prime minister to take immediate action against him. He claimed that the secretary kept performing as spokesperson of APTMa despite clear orders from the prime minister. He said that most of the cotton growers belonged South Punjab and many were prime minister’s voters but still they were subjected to severe exploitation.
He warned that the cotton growers would not only vote against PPP in coming election but also take to the roads, if the government failed to address their grievances.
He said that some elements badly harmed national economy for the sake of their vested interests as they did not let the benefit pass to the farmers despite bumper crop in the country. He pointed out that over two million cotton bails were still kept at the godowns of farmers and this crop would be sowed on 30 percent less area next year if the same conditions prevailed.
He lamented that the ECC meeting had to fix support price of cotton in its January 3 meeting but it was postponed till January 10 which was highly condemnable.
He warned that the central executive body of PCGA would approve ban on cotton purchase if the TCP intervention was not announced by the government on January 10. He demanded of the prime minister to materialize his promise and issue instructions for cotton purchase besides launching action against the secretary textile.