MULTAN, Sept 27th: Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Chairman Mian Mehmood Ahmed has urged upon the GOvernment to withdraw tax on the oil-cake(Khal)and refund claims of ginners be approved as early as possible besides resolving the issue of SRO-188 which is main hurdle in the way of their businesses.Delivering his maiden speech at Annual General Meeting here today Mian Mehmood Ahmed said that General body meeting would be convened thrice a yearon the demand of member to bring theginners closer to each other.He stressed the need for bringing revolutionary changes in the PCGA set-up so that good leadership could lead the ginners to better path.He said that our rulers failed to resolve the problem of certified and qualitative cotton seed to enhance the cotton production. Our per acre yield is less than neighbouring countries.Pakistan could not even meet the target of 15 million bales while India had surpassed the figure of 37 million bales.Newly elected Chairman invited suggestions/ proposals from the member to frame a comprehensive strategy to take solid action for the survival of ginning industry. General Body unanimously approved Dam fund of Rs.10 million to contribute for this national cause. He also announced a committee which would issue the figures of fortnightly arrival of cotton in ginneries .Mehr Muhammad Ashraf would be convener of this committee while Salman Maqbool and Malik Talat Suhail would be member of this committee.PCGA chairman would not interfere into the affairs of cotton arrival committee.Mian Mehmood Ahmed said that State Bank of Pakistan should grant incentives to ginners and bailout package so that they could stand on their own feet. In his address out-going Chairman Haji Muhammad Akram said that he tried his utmost to resolve the problems confronted by the ginners but process of General election and caretaker Government were main hurdle in our way to achieve our objective.However, we would resolve all pending issues with the help and coordination/cooperation of new leadership. Ex-Chairman Amanullah Qureshi hoped that Mian Mehmood Ahmed would deliver in good way because he is a prestigious personality. Status would surely be upgraded with his arrival as chairman.He suggested that cotton rate must be issued from Multan like Karachi. Former Chairman of PCGA Mukhtar Ahmed Baloch has warned the ginners that present Government was planning to impose taxes on ginning industry and new body should take pre-cautionary measures .He said that we have attached many expectations with the new body.Ex-Chairman Shehzad Ali Khan said that we should forge unity to meet the future challenges .New body should constantly endeavour to ensure payment of refund claims and withdrawal of SRO-188. Khalid Hanif Lodhi said that we should avoid to take any harsh decision like strike to press the authorities. Gopal Devnani threw light in details on the problems confronted by the ginning industry.Haji Hafeez Anwar,Mian Akhtar Javed ,Ashiq Rehmani, Malik Muhammad Shafiq, Malik Talat Suhail, Haji Muhammad Ibrahim also spoke and stressed the need for launching an awareness programme for adopting new technology so that consumption of electricity could be controlled. After the announcement of newly elected body. Haji Muhammad Akram and Haji Muhammad Ibrahim administered the oath from the Chairman Mian Mehmood Ahmed and two vice chairmen.
