RAHIM YAR KHAN: A scuffle that began on the pricing of sugar between the local sugar mills and traders ended on Saturday with the traders apologising and agreeing to sell sugar at the government notified rates.

Zilaee Karyana Association (ZKA) President Falak Sher Sandhu said the matter had been settled with the district administration with the efforts of Haji Ibrahim.

He said the traders wouldnow sell sugar on government notified rates.

However, according to sources in the trader community, they were called at the office of a political figure for mediation. Later, they claimed the additional deputy commissioner general was also called there and the sugar traders were forced to apologise.

Khawaja Atif Bashir, a prominent sugar trader from Khanpur, told Dawn that he was unaware of the meeting but claimed the traders were detained at the behest of the political figure.Rahim Yar Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RYKCCI) President Waleed Iqbal said that sugar traders had approached him to help with the issue but later they apologised to the other party. He said that this act of the district administration was unprecedented.

Zilaee Anjuman Taajran (ZAT) General Secretary Anwaar Najmi said that he was not in the meeting but sugar traders had disappointed him. He criticised the political figures in the business community for not supporting the traders.