Legal action agreed upon over ‘non-payment of imported cotton dues’

LAHORE: Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research Chairman, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, said on Monday that a consensus had been reached to take legal action against those who fail to pay the outstanding dues of imported cotton, amounting to around Rs1 billion.

Presiding over a meeting of the standing committee at Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation here, he said the matter regarding the use of cotton bales at local level in a specific period, and for the payment of outstanding dues worth almost Rs2 billion would be worked out.

Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, who was also present in the meeting, said the government was well aware of the challenges faced by the industry.

He said the government was taking serious steps to improve governance and eliminate corruption so that smooth functioning of departments could be ensured. He said the government was focusing on boosting cotton yield in the country, adding that a seed regulatory body had been formed.

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) representatives were also present in the meeting. It may be mentioned that the chairman had asked the Aptma representatives to give in writing that the government could take legal action against those who fail to make payments of outstanding dues of imported cotton.