Swabi District Council has urged tobacco companies to purchase all available stock of Virginia leaves by September 30.
The demand was made through a unanimous resolution adopted by the councillors during a meeting held on Tuesday. The moot was chaired by district naib nazim Haji Arab Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, district nazim Haji Amir Rahman Khan urged the management of the tobacco companies to help
resolve the matter in an amicable manner.
The resolution was aimed at highlighting how the rejection policies adopted by tobacco companies were harming farmers and tobacco growers. It also opposed the allocation of tobacco cess funds to MPAs for development activities and pressed for it to be utilised through the district councils.
The district nazim informed the council that Swabi has received Rs217 million from tobacco cess between 2012 and 2013. “However, Rs160 million was not utilised,” he said. “I firmly believe that Swabi can develop and progress if the cess amount is spent wisely.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2015.
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