RAHIM YAR KHAN                    -               Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) veteran leader Jahangir Khan Tareen on Monday said that the government lacks the number of lawmakers for in the parliament for amendment to constitution to set up the South Punjab province.

“The move to form a new province required a minimum of 2/3rd majority in the National Assembly, which we lacked currently although the demand for the creation of the province is part of our manifesto,” Jahangir Khan Tareen expressed the views at a press conference at DC office here on Monday.

He was accompanied by Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nouman Langrial.

He promised the people gathered to hear him that his party would return with the numbers required after winning the next elections and materialize the dream of South Punjab province.

Tareen revealed that 12 percent more gas has been added into the system despite whopping rise of 30pc in the demand due to cold weather.

Tareen said that an LNG shipment has arrived at Karachi, which would be provided to the industry. He said that a master plan has been finalized to eliminate the locust in Cholistan and an action committee of deputy commissioners would monitor it through a hotline.

The surveillance has been doubled in Cholistan to monitor the locusts movement and a federal government aircraft at Sukkur airport will reach RY Khan in two days for spray on locusts.

He further said that two/third majority is required for the Southern Punjab province but PTI would fulfil its promise. He said that he again ask the Punjab Government to complete its secretariat either in Multan or Bahawalpur at the earliest.

Tareen did not answer the question on the rates of sugarcane and crises of its procurement when he was told that the sugar mills of Sindh are purchasing the sugarcane of RYK district on high rates.

Later, a delegation of RYK farmers called on Tareen and Provincial minister Langrial and expressed their strong reservations on sugarcane procurement problems on lower rates.

Farmer leaders - Chaudhry Yasin and Jamil Nasir informed that they told the provincial agriculture minister that they were protesting for last three months but government has increased sugarcane rate only Rs10 per maund, which is in fact a great injustice with farming community.

They further informed that according to government’s sugarcane policy, the sugarcane rate should be Rs392 per maund at the ratio of 9pc.They claimed that minister has admitted that the progress of agriculture department was null and government of Punjab is nerveless in front of sugar mills owners.

Commenting on the issue, Chief media adviser to Malik Nouman Langrial, Shahid Qadir said that Mr Langrial is also a farmer and he always stands with farmers. He said that Langrial would address all problems of the farmers regarding sugarcane matters and best rate of sugarcane would be finalized for them.

The farmers have been facing difficulties since long and the present government could not be blamed for this, Qadir added.