FAISALABAD, May 10: The sales tax imposed by the government on insecticides and pesticides is the major hurdle in bringing about a green revolution in the country and also resulting in decreasing yield of cash crops.

This was claimed by former provincial agriculture minister Sultan Ali Gujjar while speaking to newsmen here on Wednesday.

He said it was universal phenomenon that the sales tax was imposed only on finished goods but in Pakistan, the CBR authorities had imposed this tax on pesticides and insecticides.

He feared that owing to negligence of the federal government and monopoly of the ‘sugar mafia’, the country would face more crisis in August this year. He said the government’s agricultural policies had failed to achieve the desired results.

The former minister said the prices of sugar had shot up to Rs40 a kilogram and billions of rupees had been earned by the strong sugar mafia. He claimed that the per-acre yield of sugar cane had also reduced owing to the agricultural policies’ failures.

He said the country needed 3.9 million tons of sugar annually but it was producing only 2.9 million. He said the existing stock of the sugar mills and the government agencies would end within next three months but the agencies were not in a position to arrange speedy import of sugar.

Sultan Gujjar claimed that the government had taken a bold step to arrest the sugar mafia members through the NAB inquiries, but the ministers again succeeded and the inquiry proceedings had been withdrawn without even taking a single step in positive manners.

PML: Iqbal Town Nazim Sajjad Haider Cheema said on Wednesday the party would be reactivated and strengthened at the lower level through force of youngsters.

Speaking to the participants in a meeting organised by the PML youth wing here on Wednesday, he said youths were the future of Pakistan and should be prepared on modern lines without any discrimination.

Mr Cheema, who is the PML youth wing local chief, said the wing would be reactivated at the union council level for which series of meetings would be held in their own areas.

He announced special funds in the town budget for the welfare of youngsters.