LAHORE, April 5: There is no need to transfer the management of the Bagh-i-Jinnah to the Parks and Horticulture Authority as it is being used for education purposes.

This was stated by agriculture and co-operative minister Khurshed Zaman Qureshi here on Saturday while speaking to newsmen at the opening of a cactus show and a flower arrangement competition at the Bagh-i-Jinnah.

The Bagh-i-Jinnah served more as a ‘laboratory’ to students for whom classes were held by the Directorate of Floriculture. Some imported species of plants were being acclimatized here and used for commercial and educational purposes, Mr Qureshi said.

Though the PHA was doing a commendable job as far beautification of the city was concerned, the Bagh-i-Jinnah had different utility, he emphasised. At present, the Bagh had over 6,000 trees of 132 different species along with 116 species of shrub and 33 climbers. This kind of national treasure should not be exposed to any kind of danger, he said.

In addition to this, the department ran eight flower-specific training programmes spread over 15 days to one year. All this was possible because of the availability of the Bagh-i-Jinnah, he emphasised.

About the dirt cheap lease —- at the rate of Rs80 per month —- of the Bagh-i-Jinnah grounds to Gymkhana Club, the minister said that though lease was for a specific period of time, it could be looked into.

About the water situation, the minister claimed that it was being rationed according to availability and cropping pattern. The basic water reality was a shortage of 44 per cent during the first 70 days of kharif and 11 per cent for the rest of the season. Only a prudent manoeuvring could mitigate the crisis, and the department was thus trying hard for it, he claimed.

About the forthcoming wheat procurement drive, Mr Qureshi said that the government was committed to ensuring the stability of support price.

Regardless of procurement targets, the price stability would be ensured through other supporting methods like distribution of bardana (gunny bags) and clipping the role of middleman. The government had also learnt lessons from price shock.