Daily Times

The Kisaan Ittehad Pakistan on Wednesday called off their ongoing sit-in after assurance from the Punjab government.

President Kissan Ittehad Akhtar Malik announced to end the ongoing strike after successful talks with Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and Energy Minister Malik Akhtar held talks with representatives of Kisan Ittehad at Committee Room of Energy Department. Commissioner Lahore Division Zulfiqar Ghman, CCPO Omar Sheikh and other officers were also present on the occasion. Kisan Ittehad was represented by Central Chairman Chaudhry Anwar, Central President Zulfiqar Awan and others.

Raja Basharat said that Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar had taken historic steps for the betterment of farmers which had not been done before. “Earlier, farmers were worried about sugarcane crushing and late payments, but our government enacted effective legislation to address such issues,” he added. He said that our doors are open for the farmers 24 hours a day and a committee headed by the Secretary Agriculture had been constituted to look into their legitimate demands and make recommendations after reviewing them. He said that in future also the problems of farmers would be solved on priority basis. Earlier, the chairman of Pakistan Ittehad, while announcing the end of the sit-in, said, “We are grateful to the Chief Minister, Law Minister and Energy Minister for listening to us and assuring us that our demands will be met.”

It may be noted that the farmers under the Kisan Ittehad Pakistan resumed their sit-in on Wednesday morning after late-night police crackdown on the protesters. The police and the Anti-Riot Force personnel started late night crackdown against the farmers at Thokar Niaz Baig locality of Lahore. The police resorted to baton charge, tear gas shelling and arrested scores of protesters, who pelted stones at the policemen. The clash between the farmers and the law enforcement personnel resulted in traffic jam in the area. The protesters were demanding increase in support prices for wheat and sugarcane crops.

All the political parties of the opposition have condemned the use of force against the protesting farmers who were staging a sit-in at Thokar Niaz Beg to press for their demands. All the parties including PML-N, PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami condemned the brutal use of force against the poor farmers.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq asked the government to immediately announce increase in support price of wheat, sugarcane and other major crops and accept all other demands of the farmers who reached the provincial capital on Tuesday to protest against the anti-agriculture policies of the PTI government.

Talking to media after holding meeting with the representatives of the farmers at Mansoora on Wednesday, he also demanded unconditional apology from the government for unleashing police crackdown and torture against protesting growers at Thokar Niaz Beg. Calling for release of the detained farmers without any delay, he said it was unfortunate that rulers were deaf, dumb and blind to the plight of the people and seemed unmoved to their demands. He said if the government was serious in prolonging its tenure it must announce decrease in prices of basic food commodities and introduce pro-farmer policies. He warned the rulers to introduce policies in the interest of the masses or get ready to go home.

To a question, he replied that he could not make any anticipation regarding the government tenure but it was obvious that the government writ seemed nowhere. The masses were desperate and wanted to get rid of the incapable government, he said, adding the rulers had left with the only option to set their direction and start paying attention on the problems of the people.

PPP’s parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Syed Hasan Murtaza, PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Bukhari and PPP’s Ch Manzoor also condemned the use of force against the farmers. They said that Pakistan might face the problem of food security if the government fails to accommodate the protesting farmers.