RAHIM YAR KHAN, Sept 22: The government should set up a separate cell at the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to purchase cotton. This was said by Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Central Chairman Haji Mohammad Ibrahim while speaking at the National News Forum here on Wednesday.

He said the government should take steps to save farmers and cotton ginners from the alleged blackmailing of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association. Mr Ibrahim said the APTMA was the only cotton buyer in the country and it used to worry the ginners due to its alleged monopoly.

Sometimes the ginners were forced to sell cotton at very low rates, he said. He said the government should force the TCP to purchase maximum cotton on the pattern of the cotton export corporation to do away with the monopoly of the APTMA. He said the government should impose a complete ban on the import of cotton from Jan 31, 2005 and force APTMA to buy the country's crop.