26 September 2004	Sunday	10 Shaban 1425

QUETTA, Sept 25: The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) will hold a seminar to highlight the plight of farmers in the aftermath of the drought.

Speaking at a press conference held at the press club on Saturday, PMAP leader Abdul Rauf said his party would also hold rallies, protest meetings and give strike calls to criticize the government for failing to help out growers whose crops and livestock had been destroyed by the drought in the province.

Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal, PMAP parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly, MPAs Sardar Azam Musakhel and Mohammad Naseem Turyala, and former MNA Dr Hamid Khan Achakzai were also present on the occasion.

Mr Rauf alleged massive embezzlements in the funds distribution and said that the donations from the international donors and the Centre could not reach the worst affected farmers in Zhob, Loralai, Musakhel, Qila Saifullah, Ziarat, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Sibi, Barkhan and surrounding areas of Quetta.

He said to highlight the plight of the farmers the PMAP would hold a seminar on Oct 13 so that the donors agencies could provide funds and the government could devise proper plans to control the situation.

He demanded that the government should take steps on short and long-term basis to control the situation, affected people should be provided free of cost food, tubewells in the affected areas should be installed, water reservoirs should be built, free electricity and seeds should be provide to farmers to enhance agriculture produce and arrears of the agriculture bank's against the affected growers should be waived off.