Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Senator Sirajul Haq, has impressed upon the prime minister to arrange improved seed and subsidized fertilizer to the growers instead of talking of eggs and poultry. Addressing a Kissan Convention at Mansoora on Sunday, he said that if the government provided interest- free loans, farm machinery, pesticides and irrigation water to the agriculturists, they could bring about a revolution in agriculture.
The JI chief said that as in the past, the present prime minister was also surrounded by the sugar mafia due to which, the common farmer appeared helpless. Sirajul Haq demanded setting up a task force at the federal and provincial level , with the Kisan's real representatives, for the solution of the growers problems. He also called for waiving GST on agricultural inputs, and provision of low priced farm inputs under a package. He called for clearing the arrears of the growers with the sugar mills owners.
He demanded that the rate of sugar cane be fixed at Rs 250 per maund and the CPR should be given the status of a cheque to stop the exploitation of the growers at the hand of the mills owners.
Sirajul Haq said that if the Chief Justice, instead of talking of population planning, had launched a movement for bringing under the plough nearly 60 per cent of the country's land lying barren, it would have created a hope and a spirit among the masses. On the occasion, the JI chief formally approved the conversion of the Kisan Board Pakistan into JI Kisan. JI deputy chief and chief patron of the JI Kisan, Mian Muhammad Aslam, also addressed the convention.