1,569 Kashmir refugees of Multan to cast votes in polls

MULTAN: Some 1,569 refugees of Kashmir residing in Multan will cast their votes in the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir.

Arrangements have been made to establish polling stations in Multan for the purpose. The city district administration held a special meeting for the arrangements and setting up polling stations in Jultan on Monday, officials said.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ali Shehzad said four polling stations would be set up in Multan for Kashmiri refugees. He directed that all measures should be taken to make the elections transparent. The foolproof security would be provided to candidates to ensure elections in a peaceful environment inside the polling station. The traffic police would be deployed outside the polling stations for parking arrangements.

Addressing the meeting, CPO Munir Masood Marth said that foolproof security arrangements would be made to maintain law and order. He said cameras would also be installed in polling stations for security purposes.

District Election Commissioner Saleem Akhtar said that polling stations would be set up on July 25. Three polling stations would be set up for constituency LA-42 Kashmir Valley where 1,482 voters would exercise their right to vote.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner General Qamar Zaman Qaisarani, City Assistant Commissioner (AC) Khawaja Umair Mehmood, Secretary RTA Rana Mohsin besides officials of Education, Health, Rescue and Waste Management Company.

SPAD reviews water shortage for cotton: The south Punjab Agriculture Department (SPAD) Monday reviewed water shortage for cotton crop and asked the growers that water situation would be improved in the next ten days for premature cotton crop.

The water situation was discussed at a meeting held in chair with South Punjab Agriculture Secretary Saqib Ali Ateel at south Punjab Agriculture Secretariat, which finally calculated sufficient water is expected to be available in the next ten days.

Briefing the participants over water situation, an irrigation official said rains were continuing in the Northern Areas and Upper Punjab due to which the canal water situation is expected to improve in the next 10 days.

He said as the inflow of water in Mangla and Tarbela dams is increasing, so is the outflow so as to improve the availability of water to other crops including cotton.

Speaking on the occasion, the secretary said the cotton crop is in dire need of water at this time as the process of planting fruit, flowers, dolls and tendrils has already started. In areas where groundwater is bitter, irrigation should be done by mixing it with canal water so that water scarcity can be overcome at this crucial stage.

Cotton research: Director Research Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) Dr Tasawar Hussain Malik Monday said PCCC research system would be restructured and revamped with an objective to revive and promote cotton crop in the country. Talking to reporters, Director Research PCCC stated that country had been facing the issues of cotton crisis both low production and poor-quality for last few years.

The country was spending huge amounts on import of cotton, he remarked. Dr Tasawar maintained the PCCC was negotiating with federal government for restructuring of the cotton research system. Advisor to PM on National Food Security and Research Jamshed Iqbal Cheema would visit PCCC soon and highlight cotton policy and different steps taken for revival and promotion of white gold (cotton) said Tasawar adding that he himself would also visit different cotton fields to asses cotton crop in south Punjab and sought feedback from farmers. The Director Research also informed that Cotton Crop Management Committee (CCMG) meeting would also be organized regularly at CCRI in order to take timely steps for cotton revival.