Tobacco grower unions are petitioning Peshawar High Court to redress “flagrant violations” by the Tobacco Board when it set tobacco prices for this year, the newspaper Dawn reported on its web site.

Anjuman-i-Kashtkaran, Aiwan-i-Zaraat, Kisan Board, Kashtkaran Tobacco and Ittehad Kashtkaran unions asked Ismail Jan Khan, provincial general secretary of Anjuman-i-Kashtkaran, to file a writ petition with the high court, Dawn reported.
The board allowed growers to purchase tobacco at 2010 rates this year despite substantial increases in grower costs, Ismail Jan told the newspaper. The board failed to seek approval of its pricing from the federal government, as required by law, according to Ismail Jan. Efforts to reach an out of court settlement were unsuccessful, he reportedly said. (pi)