Government has failed to protect and facilitate sugar cane growers: Omar Cheema | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city> 05<sup>th</sup> October 2009: </font></font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf???s Central Information Secretary Omar Sarfraz Cheema in a press conference here today said that sugar mafia has squeezed more than 40 billion in the present sugar crises and the government has miserably failed to protect the consumers. Now the sugarcane growers are going to be slaughtered at the hands of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160; </span>un scrupulous ???CHEENI CHORS???, Govt should ensure that farmers <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160;</span>get the support price<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160; </span>announced . Last year average price of the sugarcane was Rs.110 per maund, but today sugar industrialists are planning not to pay more than<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160; </span>Rs.60 to Rs.70 per maund. While the cost of inputs has increased about 40%. And if the govt. again fails to protect the sugarcane growers, it will have disastrous effects on national economy. There will be greater shortages and sugar cartels will be able to dictate their own rates.</font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">&#160;</font></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">In 2006 the NAB???s internal report identified the names of politicians and their family members, but the inquiry was terminated and NAB has been made toothless to protect the corrupt cartels.</font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">&#160;</font></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Cheema also condemned the suicide attack in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Islamabad</st1:place></st1:city> and called it govt???s failure.</font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">&#160;</font></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">He further said that if the by-elections are postponed once again,we will challenge it in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160;</span>the higher courts. He said that voters of NA123 Lahore???s are being continuously<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160; </span>deprived of their public representation in national assembly on the pretext of security situation but actually it has become very clear that Punjab govt. is using<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#160; </span>delaying tactics because of the deal between Nawaz Sharif and Gen. Musharraf which was brokered by the Saudi govt. that mian nawaz sharif will not participate in the elections till 2010.He asked the opposition in the parliament to take stand on issues affecting the masses rather than playing the role of friendly opposition and deceiving the public.</font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Vice admiral (rtd) Javed Iqbal, Dr.Shahid Siddique, Talath Naqvi, Ayesha Ghuman, Mian Khalid, Ishtiaq Malik, Naveed Ahmad were also present in the press conference.</font></p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">&#160;</p> <p style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><img alt="" src="/Portals/0/UserUploads/zahid/OSPR.gif" /></font></p>