SIALKOT, Dec 24: Fertiliser dealers across Punjab have stopped placing fresh orders and decided to withdraw their investment from the business as a protest against police action and registration of cases against dealers in various parts of the province. This was said by Punjab Fertiliser Dealers Association President Shaikh Abid Husain while talking to newsmen in Daska city on Wednesday.

He said the association had strongly rejected the registration of cases against fertiliser dealers across Punjab.

He said dealers had time and again asked the government to ensure smooth availability of fertiliser in the province at the beginning of every season, but it allegedly failed every time.

“This inefficiency on the part of the respective government departments creates shortage of almost all kinds of fertilisers.”

Sheikh Abid Husain said a meeting of the fertiliser dealers of the province Punjab was held at Pattoki-Kasur recently, which strongly criticised the government’s step-motherly treatment with them. He said dealers were being harassed by police and the government despite the fact that they had invested billions of rupees in this business.

He demanded immediate withdrawal of cases registered against dealers across Punjab.

Sheikh Abid said the association would soon launch a multi-phased nation-wide protest campaign for the acceptance of their ‘genuine’ demands.

He said in the first phase, dealers across Punjab had stopped placing fresh orders and unanimously decided to pull out their investment from the fertiliser business.—Corrrespondent