LAHORE: Workers of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) will stage a protest in front of the Chief Minister’s House on Thursday (today) against the delay in wheat procurement which is creating a crisis-like situation for the growers.

JI Chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman will lead the demonstration, which will start from Mall Road and end in front of the Chief Minister’s House.

KBP Chief Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan and Secretary General Dr Abdul Jabbar Khan, while talking to the media, said that growers from across the province would reach the Mall Road in their tractor trollies, and other transport and arrangements in this regard had been finalised.

They said farmers had to buy all the inputs at exorbitant prices during the wheat cultivation. Rather, they had to buy fertilizers from the black markets. Likewise, electricity and diesel were also bought at rates higher than the previous year. They claimed that the situation warranted that the growers should be given the support price of at least Rs 5,000 per maund for wheat.

To ensure the provision of flour at cheaper rates to the urban population, the government should subsidise it. However,

afraid of the urban voters, the government tried

to kill the growers financially.

KBP leaders said that 20 to 25 percent profit on the wheat crop was the right of the grower and his family but it seemed that growers had to wage a “Jehad” to secure their rights. They claimed that thousands of KBP members would stage their protest under the leadership of Naeem ur Rehman and would return home triumphant.

Central Secretary Information KBP Haji Muhammad Ramzan while speaking on the occasion warned the government against depriving the farmers of their hard-earned labour.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024