KARACHI, Sept 1: The issue of an acute shortage of fertilisers in the province was again raised by over a dozen members, who warned that if urea was not made available to the farmers within a week, not only the Sindh economy would suffer badly but the province would be in the grip of another crisis.

The house, which was called to order by deputy speaker Shehla Raza, who was in the chair, at 11.25am, about two hours behind the schedule of 9.30am, granted leave to former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. Law Minister Ayaz Soomro told the house about the measures being taken to arrest the suspected killers of journalist Leghari in Dadu and about steps being taken to look after his family.

During question hour, pertaining to the home department, of the 22 questions only 10 were answered. Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, responding to different supplementary questions, assured the house that all-out efforts were being made to arrest the absconding suspect wanted in Karo-kari and other crimes.

Responding to the urea issue, Agriculture Minister Ali Nawaz Shah, conceded the shortage of fertilisers and said that another reason for its severity was its faulty distribution.

He said 30,000 tons of urea had already been imported and more was soon to arrive. Besides, the federal minister had gone to Saudi Arabia to place an order for more imports.

He said the DAP fertiliser was available but as urea was relatively cheaper, there was more demand for it.

He accused the dealers of hoarding urea and said now committees were formed to verify the land of farmers to provide them with urea in accordance with their requirement to discourage black-marketing.

He said being a former federal minister, he knew that decisions had been taken by the federal government about the distribution of fertilisers and their price fixing.

He said in Punjab the sowing season began one month after in Sindh and as such efforts were being made that factories be asked to meet the requirement of Sindh first and the quota of Punjab be sent later.

Earlier, Munawwar Abbasi of the PPP on a point of order drew the attention of the house to the non-availability of urea and the attitude of the district coordination officers (DCOs), who did not respond to his phone calls. He warned that if fertilisers were not made available within a week, the farmers would not be able to sow the season’s crop.

Arif Jatoi of the NPP recalled that he had moved an adjournment motion last time but the agriculture minister had opposed it saying that there was no shortage of fertilisers but their distribution was a problem, which was sorted out by setting up committees under the DCOs.

Masroor Jatoi of the NPP, stressing the need to debate the issue on their submitted adjournment motion, recalled the intensity of the shortage.

Nawaz Chandio of the PPP stressed the need to solve this issue at the earliest, and pointed to the gravity of the situation that people in Nawabshah and elsewhere asked them why “don’t you raise the issue in the house”.

Sardar Ahmad Pitafi of the PPP said that factories of fertilisers were set up in his constituency and he was witness to it that against one permit four to six trucks were taken out of factories. He said if this practice was allowed, the Sindh requirement would never be met.

Abdul Salam Thaiem of the PPP said that with the passage of time and non-availability of fertilisers, the law and order situation in the interior was worsening. He said in different districts of Sindh the sowing season was different. Sanghar and Nawab Shah were facing an acute shortage where the cotton crop sowing season was under way.

Marvi Rashdi drew the attention of the house to the plight of small farmers in Kot Deji, where the revenue staff were receiving tax without issuing receipts.

Revenue Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the farmers should not pay any money to any official without a receipt.