SWABI: Growers have urged the agriculture department to declare a state of emergency in Swabi district to protect wheat crop following the attack of the fungal disease, leaf rust.

They told reporters that leaf rust spread like cancer damaging crops and if it wasn’t controlled, the damage could be beyond control.

The growers said they’re worried about their crops after the outbreak of the fungal disease.

They said leaf rust had hit wheat crop in Maneri Bala, Maneri Payyan, Yar Hussain, Naro Banda, Gohati, Sheikh Dheri, Chota Lahor, Kaya, Beka, Charbagh, Saleem Khan, Adina, Ismalia, Tordher, Jalbai, Jalsai and other villages.

Tobacco Growers Association central president Liaqat Yousafzai said leaf rust turned wheat leaves yellow and halted crop growth and thus, causing low produce.

State of emergency demanded to prevent damage...

Kissan Board district president Khalid Khan said the incidence of leaf rust had been reported across the district, so experts should visit fields for measures to check its spread.

The growers said their crop was attacked by the disease due to cloudy weather and low temperature.

Safdar Khan, a leading farmer of Maneri Bala area, said most growers didn’t have formal education, so they usually ignored the disease leading to a massive damage to the crop.

When contacted, district director (agriculture) Shad Ali said the growers who contacted his department were properly guided on how to spray crops and how to check them for diseases.

POWER CUTS: The Anjuman-i-Dokandaran has demanded an immediate end to unscheduled power outages.

During a meeting, district president of the association Mohammad Ali said the prolonged power cuts had crippled businesses but their repeated requests to the public utility, Pesco, for restoration of electric supply had fallen on deaf ears.

He and other traders said power outages had caused businessmen massive losses.

PTI FLAYED: Awami National Party leader Sardar Hussain Babak has declared the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Jail Bharo Tehreek a “joke” and alleged that former prime minister Imran Khan’s party stole the taxpayers’ money for 10 years and misled the people with empty slogans.

“The PTI leaders didn’t go to jail as announced and thus, proving that their Jail Bharo Tehreek was a drama and a joke with the nation,” Mr Babak told a function here.

The ANP leader wondered how many PTI lawmakers courted arrest.

He said it was strange that the PTI leaders offered their arrest but later turned to the courts for release on bail.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2023