VEHARI, Feb 13: Growers organizations, including the Kissan Board Pakistan, the Muttahida Kissan Mahaz and the Pakistan Kissan Council have expressed concern over the government decision to allow only importers to market pesticides.

Their spokesmen told Dawn on Friday that the decision would cause a price increase of agricultural inputs besides closure of nearly 100 local firms. Local packaging industry employing thousands of people would also be closed, he added.

They said more than 4,000 agriculture graduates and other staff would also become jobless. They claimed that the decision would only benefit multinational companies. They alleged that the ministries concerned were following the policies of multinational companies.

Returning officers: The Punjab Election Authority has appointed returning officers for the by-elections to the union councils. They are; civil judge Shahbaz Ahmad at Mailsi, civil judge Yasir Arafat at Vehari and civil judge Mirza Ejazur Rehman Baig at Burewala.

There are nine vacant seats of union council Nazims, one Naib Nazim, eight general councillors, 12 women councillors, two labour councillors and 25 minority councillors in Vehari district.