He was presiding over a meeting from Madina Munawara through the video link to consider the recommendations and proposals of the special committee set up to solve the problems of sugarcane farmers. It also reviewed the steps taken to provide relief to the sugarcane farmers.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said that sustained action should be continued against the elements that have set up illegal weighbridges and such persons should also be brought to justice. Concerned provincial ministers as well as the administrative secretaries should remain available in the field and they should continuously conduct field visits to ensure timely solution of problems of sugarcane farmers and the results of these visits should be communicated to me as well, he added.
He said that no leniency will be shown to the sugar mills owners going against the interests of the farming community. The management of sugar mills should realize that protection of interests of the farmers will be ensured at every cost and no one will be allowed to play havoc with the sugarcane farmers.
Shahbaz categorically directed that indiscriminate action should be initiated against the sugar mills involved in the practice of underweight procurement of sugarcane and added that if his own mill is found doing the same, then it should also be prosecuted upon without any discrimination. "All my sympathies are with the farmers and protection of their interests is my duty which I am committed to fulfill," he added.
He reiterated that the elements involved in incurring financial losses to the farmers will not be tolerated and no one will be allowed to make a dacoity with the farmers. The reward of hard work of sugarcane farmers will not be allowed to be wasted, he added.
Provincial Ministers Sheikh Alauddin, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Dr Farrukh Javed, Naeem Akhtar Bhabha, Chief Secretary, farmers' representatives namely Sarfraz Khan, Khalid Khokhar and Anayat Azhar, President Sugar Mills Association Javed Kiyani and others attended the meeting from Model Town through the video link. Provincial Minister Bilal Yasin and Secretary Food participated from Jhang and Faisalabad respectively; while Ahsan Latif of Sugar Mills Association attended the meeting from Khushab through the video link.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017