ISLAMABAD: PMLN President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep concern over the shortage of Urea in the country and the problems being faced by the farmers and has called for immediate stopping of DAP and Urea fertilisers to end exploration of the farmers.
In a statement Shehbaz said the tye smuggling and black-marketing of fertilisers was at its peak while the farmers had nowhere to go. He said the farmers and the people were suffering because of the government’s incompetence and balckmarketeering. They were crying for help but it seemed as if there exists no government in Pakistan.
He questioned if the price of Urea was high in the international market why were timely measures not taken to prevent its smuggling. This crisis was a result of just another signature PTI corruption and mismanagement spree. This shortage would directly impact agricultural yield which would resge further crisis and food insecurity, he warned. He said an agricultural country that used to export wheat and sugar was now importing it which was a matter of shame.
“DAP fertiliser was sold at Rs 2400 per bag during PMLN government which was now being sold at Rs 10,000 under PTI. The total absence of government control over these prices is a total failure of the PTI government”, he said.
Shehbaz said Pakistan saw 14.6 million bales of cotton yield under PMLN rule in 2015-16 which was a record. The stats shared by the PTO government were noting more than a pack of lies, he said. Nawaz Sharif had given a historic Farmer’s Package in 2015; gave aid worth billions to flood-hit farmers; small-scale farmers were given Rs 32 billion . This program was started from Sialkot and Lodhran with the cooperation of PDMA. 166 Centers were established in 33 districts with the involvement of PITB, NADRA, BOP, and NBP. Through a 1-window operation, every centre aided 200 farmers ever day, he reminded. This program was exemplary as it provided the impetus to small farmers to stand on their own two feet. But the state of Pakistan’s farmers was absolutely deplorable under the PTI regime, he said.
