SARGODHA: Citrus growers in Sargodha expressed their frustration during a meeting on Tuesday.

They said despite being the backbone of the country, farmers were facing immense difficulties due to poor government policies and indifference.

They said around 45 per cent of their orchards had been uprooted due to lack of assistance from the Department of Agriculture.

They also alleged that factory owners were blackmailing them by not paying the set rates and that many farmers had not received their payments from contractors.

Citrus growers’ leader Chaudhry Hamid Saleem appealed to the district administration to provide support to farmers, including fertilisers at controlled rates, to improve kinnow production. He warned if the situation persists, farmers may be forced to protest on the streets.

KILLED: A 23-year-old man was killed allegedly by his uncle and family members.

The police took the body into custody for postmortem.

Sikandar Hayat, along with his family, killed his nephew Tauqeer Abbas in the village of Kot Makram in Miani town of Sargodha.

RAPE: A 10-year-old girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by her neighbour who left her unconscious.

The police have registered a case.

ACCIDENT: In a collision between a bus and a trailer, the conductor was killed and seven people, including the driver, were seriously injured.

The Isa Khel-to-Lahore bus collided with the trawler near Chak 91 in which conductor Muhammad Irfan of Darya Khan died and Muhammad Arif Hussain, Akhtar Hussain, Zafarullah, Naeem Ahmad and Umar Hayat, all residents of Mianwali, Mohammad Sulaiman of Isa Khel and Faisal Tarseem Masih of Jauharabad were seriously injured.

They were shifted to DHQ Hospital. The police are investigating the incident.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

The challenge before banks
Updated 27 Feb, 2025

The challenge before banks

The way we do banking today will not exist in next 10 years, only those will survive who are capable of adopting new technologies.
Torkham tension
27 Feb, 2025

Torkham tension

CONTROVERSY over demarcation of the common frontier is one of the key obstacles standing in the way of better...
Weak link
27 Feb, 2025

Weak link

KARACHI — economic powerhouse, cultural melting pot, and bustling metropolis of over 20m souls. There is much that...
Forgotten inmates
Updated 26 Feb, 2025

Forgotten inmates

Diversion programmes are needed for minor offences and people with psychosocial disabilities should receive treatment rather than be jailed.
Controlling crypto
26 Feb, 2025

Controlling crypto

THOUGH Pakistan’s official position on cryptocurrencies has evolved considerably over the years, there still seems...
Deadly roads
26 Feb, 2025

Deadly roads

DRIVING in Karachi can be hazardous, with chaos on the roads, and very little by way of following rules and...