May 28, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1429

LAHORE, May 27: Speakers at a pre-budget seminar stressed the need for launching a movement against inflation while Women Workers Helpline organised a demonstration against price-hike at the Lahore Press Club here on Tuesday.

Researcher Khaliq Shah said launching of the movement was necessary because change in government policies could be ensured through struggle and resistance. Hunger and poverty had bred all revolutions. He said defence and administrative budget required to be rationalised for making resources available for the marginalised sections of society. Farmers should be encouraged to produce food crops instead of cash crops to stabilise food prices.

He said unprecedented increase in food prices in general and flour, vegetable ghee and pulses in particular was the result of the greed of grain traders and flour mills for profit and failure of the respective government agencies to prepare accurate production estimates.

The failure of the government to check large-scale smuggling of wheat and atta had also resulted in increase in prices within the country. The rulers were delaying the restoration of the judges to give the message that the people could not force them to accept their demands through struggle.

Labour Party Pakistan spokesman Farooq Tariq said inflation was artificial. Supporters of Musharraf were defeated in general election because they facilitated uninterrupted plunder of national resources through their policies. The present rulers had also failed to control the prices of essential commodities.

He said the government should build maximum number of small dams instead of Kalabagh Dam and restore subsidies on agriculture to increase cheap hydel power and bring down the cost of food crops. Steps should also be taken to abolish feudalism and transfer the ownership rights of 12 per cent of agricultural land controlled by the armed forces to the tenants.

Women Workers Helpline secretary-general Bushra Khaliq said people were starving due to inflation and they should raise their voice against it.

Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Staff Union president Rana Latafat said the agricultural production in the country was sufficient to meet the food requirements of the population provided that the government controlled hoarding and smuggling.

Women attending the seminar staged a demonstration outside the press club later on. They displayed banners and placards and raised slogans calling for controlling inflation, restoration of judges and a substantial increase in pay and allowances.