MULTAN, May 7: The food department has so far achieved 33 per cent of its wheat procurement target in six districts of former Multan division after procuring 289,000 tons of the commodity.

According to an official handout released here on Tuesday, the food department had to procure 850,000 tons of wheat in Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, Khanewal, Pakpattan and Sahiwal during the ongoing procurement drive.

The release claimed that 30,000 tons of wheat was being procured daily.

District-wise procurement against the respective targets is Multan 75,608 tons (157,000); Lodhran 22,806 tons (179,000 tons); Vehari 52,473 tons (162,000 tons); Khanewal, 44,103 tons (153,000 tons); Pakpattan, 43,732 tons (110,000 tons); and Sahiwal 50,293 tons (189,000 tons).

Multan district is leading the procurement drive with 45 per cent target achievement, followed by Pakpattan (40 per cent), Vehari (32 per cent), Lodhran (29 per cent), Khanewal (29 per cent) and Sahiwal (26 per cent).

CONDEMNED: The United Teachers’ Association, Punjab, has condemned the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority chairman for transferring association’s central joint secretary.

The Tevta chairman has recently ordered transfer of UTA joint secretary Syed Qausain Naqvi from Multan to Jhelum. Naqvi was working as instructor at the mechanical department of the Government College of Technology, Multan. He had been instrumental in challenging the Tevta Ordinance in the court of law along with nomination of the authority chairman and other appointments.