May 11, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1429

FAISALABAD: Growth of the textile industry, farmer-friendly policies, alternative means of fuel and private power generation offer the only and immediate solution to the food and energy problems being faced by the c0untry.

These views were expressed by businessmen and agriculture scientists of the textile capital of Pakistan, while talking to Dawn.

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed, Faculty dean at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, said that the sole solution to the food shortage was to make farmers powerful and increase their prosperity.

He said that farmers in India got good rates on wheat, while in Pakistan the situation was entirely different.

The government should extend subsidy on pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer to enable farmers to meet expenses incurred on the wheat crop. “Farmers don’t want to sow wheat because of its low price and high cost of inputs,” he said. “By sponsoring farmers, the government could easily stop growers from switching over to other crops, which would definitely eliminate the food shortage.”

He also stressed the need for fair distribution of water for crop irrigation. Different methods of distribution were being adopted in various areas of the country. “This is deplorable.”

Dr. Iftikhar said the government should line all water courses with bricks and take steps to stop theft.

All Pakistan Powerloom Owners Association Chairman Khalid Cheema criticised the former rulers and said they did not focus on key issues.

He said if the shortage of electricity persisted and the upward trend of fuel prices continues, textile tycoons would not be in a position to run their factories. This would render thousands of people jobless in Faisalabad, Mr. Cheema feared.

He suggested that the government should allow private companies to generate electricity and distribute surplus power to other units in the vicinity. He also asked the government to take measures to develop fuel substitutes.

Regarding inflation and deficit, he said the growth of industry would eliminate all such issues, but right now the problem is who will bell the cat.

The president of Young Entrepreneurs Organisation, Umer Nazar said that the present regime should make some concerted efforts to build the Kalabagh Dam.

He said the country had been facing shortage of water and electricity because of ill-conceived policies of the previous regimes as they only raised hollow slogans instead of doing something practical.