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Ban on use of Monsanto's seeds demanded

RECORDER REPORT

MULTAN: A number of trade unions have demanded of Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf to ban the US-based multinational company, Monsanto, and its bio-technology seeds to prevent the agriculture economy of Pakistan from the dangers of destruction of the soil.

An emergency meeting in this connection was called by the Punjab Labour Alliance (PLA), chaired by Malik Gulbahar Butha.

PLA Chairman Ghazi Ahmed Hassan Khokhar, while addressing the meeting demanded special steps to gradually increase the agriculture production and bound the multinational companies to work within their framework. The pesticides companies, 30 in number could not install plants in the country against the agreement signed in 1971.

The agreement was valid for three years. The government should force them to install their plants in the country otherwise expel them from the country, Ghazi said.

Pesticides and seed multinational companies have installed their plants in India. A number of pesticides are being imported from India.

He said in case of introducing the bio-technology in Pakistan, the soil would destroy within a few years.