Daily Times

Punjab farmers on Monday moved Lahore High Court (LHC) against the provincial government’s refusal to buy wheat from the farmers.

As per details, a petition was filed by Farhat Manzoor Chandio in Lahore High Court challenging the Punjab government’s refusal to purchase wheat from farmers. The petitioner stated that the government is bound to buy wheat from farmers at the official price and they had announced a policy to purchase wheat from farmers at Rs 3,900 per maund, but it has not implemented it. The Punjab government was supposed to start buying wheat from farmers from April 22, but no development so far on the wheat purchase, leaving farmers vulnerable to selling their crops at lower prices due to rains.

The petitioner urged the court to direct the government to purchase wheat from farmers and take action against the mafia. On Sunday, sources within the Food Department revealed that the government of Punjab has not made a decision on wheat procurement yet. On the other hand, farmer leader Sultan Javed said that the deadline for the decision is Monday (today), and an announcement about the future course of action will also be announced, sources said.

He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz’s decision to increase the target of wheat procurement. “We hope the Punjab government will also make a similar announcement soon,” Sultan Javed added.

Prior to this, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took strict action on the complaints of farmers and directed the federal government to immediately purchase wheat from farmers. PM Shehbaz also increased the target of wheat procurement from 1.4 million metric tons to 1.8 million metric tons, the statement released by PM Office said. Prime Minister’s decision is expected to benefit thousands of farmers across the country and provide them with a stable income, the statement added.

Punjab police on Monday launched a crackdown on farmers’ leaders across the province after they held a demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly. The protest is against the alleged delay in the purchase of wheat on the fixed government price amid a wet spell in the province. President Kashtkar Foundation Punjab Mumtaz Daulatana was arrested in Pir Mahal. Police personnel have also been deployed at Motorway M-3 Interchange to prevent farmers from reaching Lahore for protest. The farmers also protested by wearing chains in their necks in Rahim Yar Khan over the delay in official wheat procurement drive. After police crackdown in Daska, district president of the Farmers Alliance has instructed the members to reach Lahore individually instead of convoys. Hafiz Javed Goraya, a farmers leader said that the farmers have been compelled to sell their produce on cheaper rate of Rs3,000 per maund, instead of the official Rs3,900 due to the delay in the wheat procurement drive.