Opposition slams mills for not starting sugarcane crushing operations

Opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday denounced sugar mills for not starting sugarcane crushing operations in the province and asked the government to maintain its writ to protect the growers from financial losses. At the outset of the session, the legislators belonging to the Opposition parties began registering their noisy protest against the delay in sugarcane crushing by mills. The PML-F's parliamentary group leader, Nand Kumar lamented that mills have not yet begun operations. He sought a debate on the issue that, he said, is causing financial losses to growers but the chair denied permission to the opposition to speak out.
PPP's Dr Sohrab Sarki, who was first chairing the sitting, asked the opposition members to let the house finish its agenda for the day. He assured them that they would be given a chance to express their views. Later, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza took over the situation amid shouts from the opposition members. Finally, the opposition found the opportunity to express their concerns over the delay in operations of mills. They told the house that the growers are facing financial losses because the government has not yet fixed the support price for sugarcane in the province.
Sindh Agriculture and Home Minister, Sohail Anwar Siyal reassured the opposition that the government was trying its best to sort out growers' problems. "Last year, crushing season began because the government ensure an end to the deadlock on the issue. This year too, the government will solve this issue, soon," he told the house.
"Special persons will be soon given jobs on a priority basis in the province," Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced during the session. He said that he held talks with the representatives of special person and assured them of jobs provisions. He said his government had increased the job quota to five percent from two percent for the special persons.
"The special persons cannot move to each and every department to submit their applications, therefore I am issuing a notification to allow that their applications should be submitted at one place and then be dispatched to the concerned departments," he said, acknowledging that the government delayed jobs' provision to special persons but now, government will do it on a priority basis and merit.
The house turned down an adjournment motion tabled by PTI's Khurrum Sher Zaman Khan on price hike of essential commodities. The mover contended that the people were suffering due to hike in the prices of essential commodities and rising cost of living. He also complained about lack of an authority to protect the consumers' rights.
Sindh Senior Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Nisar Khuhro opposed the motion but agreed that the rising inflation struck every household in the province. He said that although inflation is a big issue, it is driven by external reasons of which soaring petroleum products' prices is one major cause. Sohail Anwar Siyal blamed the federal government for price-hike that hurt public life.
"Federal government is least bothered to know which commodity is short in the market and this approach is hurting the public life," Siyal said, adding that the federal government's callousness has created tomato crisis in the country. There is no policy in place by the federal government to ensure a smooth supply of foods, he told the house. He also blamed the federal government for crisis that the growers are facing in Sindh.
The house also adopted two resolutions: The first sought an end to the rustication of students from Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad and the second for the end to the electricity over-billings and power outages. The house also introduced two private bills moved by PPP's Ghazala Siyal, for founding Pakistan University in Karachi and Art and Culture universities in Jamshoro.