March, 11 2005	Friday	29 Muharram 1426

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LAHORE, March 10: Paper mills on Thursday again increased prices by Rs1,000 per ton only four days after reducing the rates by Rs1,500 in the wake of paper dealers’ protest against price-hike during February.

Paper mills started enhancing prices in the second week of February without assigning any reason. They increased the rates of different varieties by Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 per ton within a fortnight despite continuous protest by the All-Pakistan Paper Merchants Association.

The association opposed the increase in paper prices on the grounds that it would result in 25 to 30 per cent raise in the already exorbitant prices of textbooks and exercise books.

The government took no notice of the increase in paper prices despite protest by the paper dealers, but the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry intervened and constituted a committee to sort out the matter in consultation with the representatives of the mills and the merchants.

The mills agreed to reduce the rates by Rs1,500 per ton after two meetings of the committee.

Criticizing the fresh increase in paper prices by the mills, LCCI paper and board sub-committee convener Khamas Saeed, who is the association vice-chairman, said the government should either direct the cartel of mills to reduce the prices or allow duty-free import to counter open black marketeering by them.

Traffic plan: District Coordination Officer Khalid Sultan has directed the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (Tepa) and police to submit a plan for solving traffic problems on Empress Road, McLeod Road, Allama Iqbal Road, Nicholson Road, Ik Moria and Do Moria Bridges and around Shimla Pahari.

The DCO gave the directive while presiding over a meeting held at the Jinnah Hall here on Thursday to discuss proposals on traffic problems in the city.

He also ordered a comprehensive operation for removal of all kinds of encroachments from Allama Iqbal Road and Circular Road stretch between the Lahore Railway Station and Minar-i-Pakistan.

He ordered allocation of funds for repairing Ghoray Shah and Sultanpura Roads and improvement in water supply and sewerage arrangements.

The DCO ordered removal of encroachments, banners and hoardings from all pedestrian overhead bridges within 24 hours and making the damaged ones serviceable within a week.

—Reporter