ISLAMABAD (January 18 2004): Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday told the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) delegation, headed by Chairman Iskander M. Khan, that the government wanted to put in place long-term policy to equally protect all the stakeholders of sugar sector.

The government and PSMA representatives would have a series of meetings in the coming days to give final touches to the format of the proposed long-term policy.

The first meeting in this regard would be held here on Monday.

The Finance Minister had invited the PSMA office-bearers to hear their points of view on controversial issues.

Sources told Business Recorder that Saturday's meeting was basically meant to identify barriers hampering development of the sugar sector, and the two sides agreed during the meeting to come up with some concrete proposals in the next meeting.

Sources said that the Finance Minister told the PSMA delegation that the government wanted equal protection to all stakeholders including the millers, growers and consumers.

He asked the PSMA delegation that it should work out a mechanism which should ensure good return to the millers and the farmers and at the same time protect the consumers' rights by keeping commodity prices at a reasonable level.

Courtesy Business Recorder