HYDERABAD, Sept 30: The Communist Party of Pakistan and Sindh Hari Committee on Friday staged a joint protest demonstration against steep decline in the price of cotton.

Iqbal Khan, Ghulam Hussain Leghari and Mohsin Baloch said that the artificial drop in the prices of cotton had added salt to the wounds of growers already battered by heavy rains.

The traders in connivance with officials concerned were purchasing cotton for Rs700 to Rs800 per maund, they said and demanded that the government fix the minimum price at Rs1,800 per maund.

The small farmers and peasants had still a huge quantity of cotton in their stores but the government had so far made no arrangements to purchase from them.

They demanded that the government direct the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to buy cotton at the rate of Rs1,800 per maund.