SWABI, Sept 20: District Naib Nazim Mohammad Jamil said here on Saturday the district government was unable to restrict the growers from switching over to growing poppy as the farmers were denied all their rights.

The district government would extend support to the farming community to get their rights even if they decided to switch over to growing the banned crop to achieve their rights, he said after holding talks with the representatives of the Ittehad-i-Kashtkaran. Members of local bodies were also present on the occasion.

Mr Jamil and other elected representatives said that the government would have to face the situation if it failed to put right the affairs of the tobacco purchasing companies.

The growers alleged that

the tobacco leaf managers, specially those of the small cigarette manufactures, had indulged in downgrading the crop and inflicted heavy losses to the farmers in the current season.

They alleged that the tobacco board officials were in league with the tobacco companies and small cigarette manufactures to exploit the growers.