SWABI: The growers on Tuesday complained that dealers had hoarded urea fertiliser, causing its artificial shortage in the market to get ‘huge’ profits.

Bakht Zamin, a wheat grower from Maneri Bala region, demanded a result-oriented crackdown on urea hoarders. “The suppliers and big dealers are responsible for fertiliser shortage,” he claimed.

The growers feared that if wheat crop didn’t get fertiliser at this critical stage they would fail to have a good yield.

They said that it was responsibility of the government to ensure fertiliser availability in the market.

A dealer told Dawn that the official rate of a 50 kilogramme urea bag was Rs3,400, but they couldn’t sell it at that price as main dealers in Mardan charged Rs5,200 per 50kg bag.

“The government should first ensure smooth supply of fertiliser in the market, and also take action against those who are charging higher than the official rate of urea,” he said.

When contacted, an official said that the district administration would ensure availability of urea fertiliser in the market at all costs.

ARREST: The police on Tuesday arrested a man impersonating as an army official and seized a pistol and 90 grams of ice drug from him.

SHO Zaida police station Farooq Khan said that the drug was recovered from the boots of the fraudster.

He said that they stopped a man dressed in army uniform and carrying a pistol, who gave his name as Anwar Zaman of Zaida village. He said that the man was arrested after he failed to produce an army service card or other relevant document.

The SHO said that the accused cheated citizens impersonating as an army official.

A case was registered against him.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2023