MUZAFFARGAHR: A local sugar mill administration rejected the district administration`s claims of non-payment to farmers, and said that they had cleared 87 percent of dues to farmers while the remaining payments were under process and soon would be cleaned.

Reacting to a district administration`s statement that action was taken against the Tandlianwala Sugar Mills Limited (TSML) in Muzaffargarh for non-payment of dues of farmers, the mill administration said the mill had given many jobs to local people.

On Thursday, the district administration issued a press release where it claimed that three officials of Tandlianwala Sugar Mills were arrested while its scale was sealed by Assistant Commissioner Nasir Dogar for non-payment to farmers.The mill administration said they denied such allegations, adding that the mill administration had paid Rs11 billion to sugarcane farmers this year.

`The unit has paid to the extent of 87%, the highest in the area, and the rest of the payments are in process, whereas the season is still in progress,` said the mill`s administration, adding that the TSML has a reputation as a top exporter of over $60 million when the country needs foreign exchange badly.

`The group paid around Rs20 billion in taxes and has an immaculate reputation for transparency, welfare, and contribution towards the socio-economic uplift of the area.

The TSML regrets and shows its utter disappointment on local administration, where on one side there are economic challenges being faced by the people and on the other side they are trying to defameindustrialunitsby distorting the facts,` concluded the press release.