LAHORE (February 26 2004): Punjab government has assured the poultry sector of the province that it would provide all-out assistance and financially rehabilitate the poultry sector, which has been severely affected by false propaganda of bird flu virus.

While addressing a seminar arranged by Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) here on Wednesday, Punjab Agriculture Minister Arshad Lodhi said that the Punjab Chief Minister has assured full co-operation and pledged to extend relief to the poultry sector.

He further said that the CM would soon announce Special Crisis Management Committee to protect this sector from any future crises.

While addressing the audience, Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Minister Syed Haroon Sultan pointed out that not a single case of bird flu was reported in Pakistan.

"Pakistani chickens were free from the disease, hence it should be consumed without any hesitation or fear," he added.

Punjab Health Minister Tahir Ali Javaid also spoke. He said that after thorough study of the matter, health experts have declared that the Pakistani poultry sector was not suffering from the bird flu disease.

He stressed the need for introducing long-term measures on permanent basis to guard the poultry sector from such incidents in future.

Representatives of poultry industry, including Muhammad Yousaf Khokhar, Chairman PPA; Abdul Basit, Chairman PPA Punjab, and Raza Mahmood Khursand, Member Executive Committee Punjab, also spoke.

They demanded of the government to exempt the poultry sector from all kinds of taxation for the next 10 years at least and to hold an inquiry of ongoing poultry crisis.

Courtesy Business Recorder