Pakistan, July 21 -- All sugar mills have urged the government to completely deregulate the industry.

A general body meeting of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) was held on Sunday, said a press release issued here. A spokesman for PSMA said that the association requests the federal government to consider deregulation of the sugar sector as has been done by the provinces in the case of sugarcane.

The sugar industry is the second largest agro-based industry in Pakistan after textiles.

During the crushing season, it generates direct and indirect business activity of Rs1000 billion in agriculture, transport, allied industry, wholesale and retail markets. It pays around Rs 225 billion in direct and indirect taxes to federal, prov...