ISLAMABAD : Feb 23,2023: Levelling serious allegations like harassment and forced promotion of ‘Parchi’ culture, All Pakistan. Fertilizer Dealers Association (APFDA) has gone on a strike against the authorities of the Punjab Agriculture Department (Extension).
APFDA gave a call on Wednesday for the strike and closure of fertilizer business in the Punjab for indefinite period …
In a written set of demands , APFDA said that as a result of unending misuse of authority by the Punjab Food Department (Extension) it has become almost impossible to continue doing business of fertilizers in the Punjab.
The APFDA added that the matter of harassment through filing the first information reports (FIRs) against the dealers and sealing their godowns in the Punjab was raised by APFDA at different forums, but these efforts made no headway and rather it instigated unbridled official gang of Punjab Agriculture Department (Extension’) to take more harassment steps against the fertilizer dealers. It added that APFDA understands that the Punjab Agriculture (Extension) Department rather than doing its actual job of working out some new varieties to increase yield of different crops was just busy in harassing the fertilizer dealers.
It added that the Punjab Agriculture Department (Extension) is busy in registering FIRs against the fertilizer dealers and on their basis blackmail the dealers.
Talking to NEWSMAN , APFDA pattern in chief , Ghulam Ahmad , said the fertilizer dealers were being harassed by the officials of the Punjab Agriculture Department (Extension) and its not possible for the dealers to continue with their business. He said the strike will be a extended from the Punjab to nationwide if our demanded were not met soon.
Expressing serious concern on the situation arising out of the official crackdown on the fertilizer dealers in Punjab , Fertilizer Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (FMPAK) Executive Director,Brig Shair Shah said Such intrusive measures led to misuse of authority and promoted black marketing through the well connected people. Therefore, it is an exercise in futility which denied the ease of doing business and may lead to shortage of urea in Punjab.
