Khuhro says cost of vital farm inputs gone through roof in 45 days

Published October 14, 2021
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro (centre) gestures during the press conference as others look on.—Online
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro (centre) gestures during the press conference as others look on.—Online

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peo­ples Party Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that it is increasingly becoming difficult for farmers to cultivate crops as cost of vital farm inputs like DAP fertiliser has shot to Rs1,300 a bag in a short span of 45 days.

Khuhro said at a press conference at the residence of a party leader here on Wednesday that petrol’s price should have been Rs107 per litre according to its international price but it was being sold at Rs130 per litre.

He said that it was a general thinking that institutions were being suppressed, Election Commission of Pakistan was attacked and bad language was used against it while National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman was being given extension through ordinance by bypassing parliament.

He said that it was on record that apex court had ruled ordinance could not be promulgated unless there was an emergency and a bill had to be tabled in the assembly regardless of decision on its fate. The presidential ordinance showed mala fide intention and harmed credibility of NAB chairman’s office because an individual who availed of extension in job tenure was never thought to ensure impartiality, he said.

He said that NAB chairman had become controversial and it would now do him no good even if he tendered resignation at this stage. An unnecessary issue was being raised that the prime minister would not consult leader of opposition, he said, adding that it was basically responsibility of the president to ensure this consultative process.

He said that federal government had given itself an NRO through this ordinance which excluded from NAB’s ambit institutions like ECNEC and Central Development Working Party etc. The ruling party did not give any value to parliament and such things occurred when institutions got weak, he remarked.

Khuhro said that some ministers argued that appointment of ISI chief was prime minister’s prerogative. The PTI bypassed parliament and when someone else bypassed the government it had started clamouring, he said.

He said that dollar’s price continued to appreciate while exports were falling and import bill was increasing. Difference in balance of payment was also increasing while the government had failed to control price hike, he said.

He termed it so-called democratic government and said that was why people wanted early elections to get rid of incompetent rulers instead of bearing up with them for five years. PPP was not wrong when it called the PTI government ‘selected’ and referred to statement of Jehangir Tareen who admitted having played a role in ensuring support of the ruling coalition in the wake of 2018 general election, he said.

He wondered why powerful institutions did not stop this ‘sale and purchase’ and whether they were unaware of the plane’s specific missions.

Khuhro said that Pakistan Democratic Movement had ditched PPP at the eleventh hour by attaching condition of resignation with long march for which PDM head was responsible. Today, no one talked about resignations, he said, adding that PPP believed PDM head was responsible for putting government at ease.

He said that PPP would hold Oct 18 anniversary programme on Oct 17 at Bagh-i-Jinnah. Benazir Bhutto herself had written text of FIR of twin blasts at Karsaz but this FIR was not lodged and the then government clearly sabotaged the investigation. Gen Musharraf, an accused in Benazir Bhutto assassination case, was allowed to leave Pakistan and the court which sentenced him in treason case was abolished, he said.

He said that federal information minister’s statement about appointment of DG of Inter Services Intelligence had exposed PTI’s claims and today’s newspaper headlines had uncovered the hidden truth that ‘federal government, establishment and institutions’ were on the same page.

He said that federal information minister had stated that appointment of DG ISI was prime minister’s prerogative. Since notification had not been issued for the new appointment, the post was considered to be vacant, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2021

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