Farmers warn of nationwide highway blockade over wheat price

QUETTA: Kissan Etihad Pakistan (KEP) Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth has condemned the arrest of growers and the baton charge against women, children and elderly in Punjab and demanded the immediate release of all those arrested by the provincial government.

Speaking at a press conference along with Asmatullah Dummar and other leaders of KEP on Friday, he expressed serious concerns over the delay in the purchase of wheat by the Punjab government and demanded procurement without further delay at the rate of Rs3,900 per tonne fixed by the government itself.

Mr Batth warned that if the Punjab government did not purchase wheat from farmers within a week, the farmers will block highways across the country and disrupt the movement of traffic.

He said the Punjab government had announced that it would buy wheat at Rs3,900 per tonne, but backed out of its commitment, forcing farmers to announce a sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly on April 29.

Condemn Punjab govt for arrests and violence against growers

However, he said, the Punjab government started arresting farmers and conducted raids on their homes on the night of April 28. The Punjab police not only baton-charged those farmers and their family members who were peacefully protesting in front of the assembly but also arrested them.

Mr Batth further stated that middlemen and other mafia are buying wheat from farmers at Rs2,900 per tonne, which will later be sold at higher prices in the country.

“We demand the government to ensure the purchase of wheat at the rate of Rs3,900 per tonne as announced by the Punjab government itself. Otherwise, protest rallies will be held, and sit-ins will be staged on highways, roads, and railway tracks with tractor-trolleys carrying wheat until wheat procurement starts and farmers’ dues are paid to them,” he said.

He said that due to recent rains in Balochistan, farmers have suffered massive losses, and it is the responsibility of the Balochistan government to immediately ensure the free provision of solar energy to farmers.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2024