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Pakistani farmer burns his sugarcane crop over millers mafia’s mistreatment

05:46 PM | 14 Dec, 2017
Pakistani farmer burns his sugarcane crop over millers mafia’s mistreatment
KASUR – An elderly poor farmer set his standing sugarcane crop on fire in Gidhpur area of Kasur - a city in Punjab - in protest against the mistreatment at the hands of sugar mills mafia and the provincial government.

A video shows the farmer, identified as Jaffar, torching his fully ripen crop and expressing that the farmers were being exploited both by mill owners and the government.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6bnle3

"Neither the factory owners purchase the raw material, nor the government is paying any heed to the issue," says the farmer.

He continued that by burning the crop, he would be able to sow a cash crop like wheat to be consumed by humans adding that the dues were pending from last year but the officials concerned appeared highly apathetic towards their woes.



After the incident, President of Sugar Mills Association Javed Kiani and farmers representatives called on Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The CM ordered arrest of the mills owners who did not pay the farmers, saying that action would not be against the employees but the owner.

Shehbaz Sharif also the millers who would not pay Rs180 per mound to sugarcane farmers will be brought to justice.

Time and again, the sugarcane farmers across Punjab have lashed out at the government and the institutions concerned for their failure to save growers from exploitation by the sugar mills owners.

They say the sugar mills are not paying the price of the sugarcane as per government’s announced rate for 2017-18.

“The sugar mills are buying sugarcane at the rate of Rs110 per mound whereas the official rate is Rs180 per mound,” said Choudhry Razzaq, a farmer from Bahawalnagar. He said the mills have appointed middlemen who are buying sugarcane at very low rates and they also do not pay cash and farmers are forced to make repeated visits to get their money. Sugarcane is major cash crop of the country.

According to Ministry of Food Security, the sugarcane production was around 81.4 million tons from an area of 1.312 million hectares, in 2016. Farmers have alleged that sugar mills mafia is behind the move.

There are around 32 sugar mills from Lahore to Rahim Yar Khan region, and they all are owned by 12-15 families, said Fayyaz Azim of Kissan Ittehad.



As per procedure, sugar mills issue buying permits to farmers as per their cultivated land. But, in Punjab, sugar mills have not issued permits to small farmers and farmers have no option but to sell their crop to a middleman or mill representative at a throwaway price of Rs100-105 per mound.

According to farmers, Punjab government has directed the local Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to ensure the provision of permits to small farmers but the local government is helpless in front of powerful sugar mills mafia, which is backed by top politicians of the country.

Sarfraz Ali
Sarfraz Ali

The author is working as Editor Digital Media for Daily Pakistan and can be reached @ItsSarfrazAli.

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Rupee loses ground against US dollar, Euro, Pound and other currencies; Check forex rates here

Pakistani rupee continue to witness further losses against US dollar in the open market on despite positive economic indicators and massive surge in Stock Market.

Dollar Rate in Pakistan Today

On Tuesday, the dollar was being quoted at 285.1 for selling and 288.15 for buying purposes for customers.

Euro price moves down by Rs2 to 312 for buying and 315 for selling. British Pound rate stands at 358.5 for buying, and 362 for selling after increase.

UAE Dirham AED stands at 78 whereas the Saudi Riyal also witnessed fall and new price stands at 76.25.

Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan - 28 November 2022

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 285.1 288.15
Euro EUR 312 315
UK Pound Sterling GBP 358.5 362
U.A.E Dirham AED 78 78.75
Saudi Riyal SAR 76.25 77
Australian Dollar AUD 186 187.5
Bahrain Dinar BHD 759 767
Canadian Dollar CAD 208 210
China Yuan CNY 39.93 40.33
Danish Krone DKK 41.88 42.28
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.24 36.59
Indian Rupee INR 3.39 3.5
Japanese Yen JPY 1.55 1.63
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 916.38 925.38
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 60.38 60.98
New Zealand Dollar NZD 173.44 175.44
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.25 26.55
Omani Riyal OMR 741.26 749.26
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 77.63 78.33
Singapore Dollar SGD 210 212
Swedish Korona SEK 26.93 27.23
Swiss Franc CHF 323.37 325.87
Thai Bhat THB 8 8.04

Gold price in Pakistan moves up amid positive global cues; Check today gold price here

KARACHI – Gold continues to move upward in local market amid surge in international rates.

Gold Rates in Pakistan Today - 28 November 2023

On Tuesday, the single tola of 24 Karat gold was available at Rs217,600, and the price for 10-gram gold saw increase of Rs943 to reach Rs186,557.

Globally, yellow metal went up by $12 to settle at $2,015 per ounce.

Last week, per tola gold price increased by Rs800 per tola, and it hovers around two month high.

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Karachi PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Islamabad PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Peshawar PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Quetta PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Sialkot PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Attock PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Gujranwala PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Jehlum PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Multan PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Bahawalpur PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Gujrat PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Nawabshah PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Chakwal PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Hyderabad PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Nowshehra PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Sargodha PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Faisalabad PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600
Mirpur PKR 217,600 PKR 2,600

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