PATIALA: Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Akali Da! (Amritsar), has made a plea here for opening up the Pakistan border for export of agricultural outputs including food grains, vegetables, potatoes to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran via the Wagha border through air-conditioned carriers, so that Punjab farmers could get a good price in the international market.
He said the export of agricultural ‘outputs was now possible under the GATT and the government’s liberalization policy. He made this statement while addressing a large gathering at the historical Dukhniwaran gurdwara here last week.
He assured the people that when his party would come to power in Punjab his government would allow the free flow of food grains and vegetables to other states so that farmers could get the best prices.
While issuing a note of warning to the Sikh community, Mr, Mann said that it was the right opportunity for the Sikhs to reject the Tohra Badal combination in the ensuing SGPC elections and elect honest and committed Sikhs otherwise these institutions would not improve.
In a meeting with the minority commission, Mr. Mann said his party had in writing pleaded for bringing down the voting age to 18 years for SGPC.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 8, 1995
