GUJRANWALA, Nov 1: Paddy growers on Saturday blocked GT Road at Kamoki in protest against commission agents of the grain market who were not purchasing their crop at ‘suitable’ price.

As a result of the blockade, traffic on Lahore-Gujranwala Road remained suspended for several hours, causing a great deal of inconvenience to commuters.

Reports said commission agents at the grain market were offering Rs1,100 to Rs1,200 per 40kg to paddy growers. According to farmers, they can’t sell the crop at this rate due to high cost of inputs.

On Saturday, growers parked their trolleys laden with paddy on GT Road and burnt tyres.

Speaking on the occasion, Kisan wing leader Saifullah Butt said paddy growers would face loss if they opted for Rs1,100 per 40kg. He said their protest would continue till the acceptance of their demand.

On the other hand, commission agents said they had last year’s rice stock which could not be sold or exported and they were also facing a heavy financial loss.

GRID STATION: Construction work on a new grid station in Hafizabad will start soon, and the project will cost Rs300 million which will help provide better power supply to consumers in accordance with their requirements.

This was stated by Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) chief executive officer Rana Ashraf Zahid while talking to a delegation of traders and industrialists of Hafizabad at his office here on Saturday. He said arrangements had been completed and the grid station would be constructed at Solangian Awan.

He expressed the hope that electricity shortfall would come to an end after the functioning of the grid station.

Aressted: The Federal Investigation Agency on Saturday arrested two more human traffickers from Wazirabad, and recovered several passports and other documents from their possession.

Reports said police arrested Shahbaz Anwar and Talib Husain in a raid conducted on a tip-off provided by FIA Additional Director Husain Asghar.

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