PPP to win if fair polls held in Kashmir: Gilani

MULTAN: Opposition Leader in Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has widely condemned India committing grave rights violations in Kashmir and massacring innocent Kashmiris.

Talking to reporters after offering Eid prayer at Darbar Hazrat Musa Pak, he said India had crossed all limits and subjecting Kashmiri civil population to an inhuman torture.

To a question, he said if free and fair elections were held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the PPP would make a clean sweep.

Criticizing declining economy and increasing poverty and inflation he said the government was bringing mini budgets everyday while masses were being crushed with hike and inflation.

He said prices of petrol and other commodities were rising rapidly without protecting public interests.

He said running a government was not their business. To another query, he said peace in Kabul means peace in Islamabad. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan are twin brothers. He said that the PPP wants eternal peace in Afghanistan because it cannot afford war at any level.

Cotton crop management: The south Punjab Agriculture Department has emphasized cotton growers to make management of the cotton crop better at the current phase of cotton bolls maturity.

Talking to reporters after paying field visits to Khanewal, Abdul Hakim, Katcha Khu and other areas, the south Punjab Agriculture Secretary Saqib Ali Ateel said the overall cotton situation is quite satisfactory. The picking of early sown crop in May is on the cards while flowering and cotton bolls are appearing on late sowing crop. At present, the cotton crop is being attacked by Cotton Leaf Curl Virus and pink bollworm. At this stage, better management of cotton is necessary to ensure timely control of pests and diseases, he said. He added that air humidity has increased due to rains and climate change, which has led to an increase in pest pressure, especially pink bollworm and CLCV, so farmers should inspect their crops on a daily basis and do pest scouting twice a week.

Saqib Ali Ateel said in case of an early attack of pink bollworm, destroy the additional flowers. For effective control of pink bollworm, apply 4 sex traps per acre and change the sex capsules after 15 days.

The growers should apply 3 kg tobacco juice for effective control of pink bollworm. Mix 100 grams of tobacco juice in 100 liters of water and spray per acre. If potash is not used at the time of cultivation, use one sack of potash per acre in the crop. Use boric acid 17pc, zinc sulphate 33p and magnesium sulphate 300 gm, 250 gm and 250 gm per acre respectively, he added.

Facilities ensured to citizens during Eid Parks and Horticulture Authority provided all facilities to visitors who visited recreational parks and their entry was completely free during Eid days.

During a briefing, PHA Director General Syed Shafqat Raza said all facilities were ensured to the citizens in parks and green belts during Eid. He said water was supplied to the greenbelts round-the-clock.