SWABI: Growers at a convention here on Friday unanimously demanded that the minimum price of tobacco crop should be fixed at Rs350 per kilogramme and rejected the rate of Rs245 per kg announced by the government.

The convention was held in Yar Hussain here under the Kisan Board, a farmers’ wing of Jamaat-i-Islami.

The participants said that the federal government received annual revenue of Rs130 billion through different taxes on tobacco, of which it should allocate Rs10 billion for the welfare of farmers in the tobacco growing districts.

KB provincial president Rizwanullah Khan said that urea fertilizer was not available in the market at official price while DAP fertilizer was out of reach of farmers. They said the prices of fertilizer should be reduced and those selling it in black market be held accountable.

He said that millions of rupees were still not paid to the farmers by different companies and the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) should compel these buyers to pay the dues of the growers before commencement of tobacco purchase in July.

Meanwhile, a big quantity of wheat grain was gutted when fire broke out in a warehouse in Dagai Junakhel, Razaar tehsil, said Rescue 1122 officials.

It was stated that the fire was caused by electric short-circuit and firefighters contained the blaze within hours and saved further damage.

HASHISH SEIZED: Police here on Friday seized 23 kilogrammes of hashish being taken to Punjab in a car and arrested two alleged women smugglers.

The police signalled a car (LEI-1700) near Jehangira bridge on Swabi-Mardan road, but the driver sped it away. The police squad under the supervision of Chota Lahor DSP Pasham Gul Khan chased the car, but the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled. However, two women travelling in the car were taken into custody. During checking, the police recovered 22 packets of charasweighing 23kg from the car. A case has been registered against the two women.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2022