- Pakistan Kissan Ittehad calls of its protest at Mall Road after meeting Punjab chief minister
- Shehbaz says he is a farmer-friendly CM, promises to arrange meeting with federal government to complete resolve cultivators’ problems
Representative delegation of farmers led by Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) President Khalid Khokhar and Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar held separate meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday and announced to end their protest.
Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah, Farrukh Javed, Yawar Zaman, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, chief secretary, Special Assistant Livestock Arshad Jutt, Parliamentary Secretary Mian Naveed Ali, inspector general of police, senior officials of departments concerned and office-bearers of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, members of the delegation said that they are thankful to the chief minister for taking personal interest in resolving the problems of farmers.
“Shehbaz has always taken solid steps for economic betterment of the cultivators and promotion of agriculture in the province,” he added.
Talking to the delegation, Shehbaz declared himself a farmer-friendly chief minister and said that he would take every step to ensure the protection of farmers’ rights. Proclaiming farmers to be his brothers, the chief minister said that he has protected their rights in the past and will continue to do so in future as well.
“No one will be allowed to exploit the farmers, who are the back bone of our agro-based economy,” he said.
He promised that genuine problems of the cultivators will be resolved and their matters regarding federal government will also be settled along with them and soon negotiations will be held with federal authorities in this regard.
He said that instructions have been issued for the provision of immediate relief to the farmers by resolving their problems and all possible assistance will be extended to them.
He said that the Agriculture Department will have to play an active and vibrant role for resolving the problems of farmers.
The chief minister said that the government gave a subsidy of Rs 13 billion on agri tube-wells in 2013-14 while 30 thousand tractors were distributed among small cultivators within a few years and a subsidy of two hundred thousand per tractor has been given.
He said the government will give subsidy to small farmers of 12.5 acre on fertilizer while farmers will not face any loss in coming rice and cotton crops and a strategy will be evolved in coordination with federation in this regard.
GOOD NEWS FOR SUGARCANE CULTIVATORS:
He said that despite pressure of mill owners, reduction of even one rupee was not made in the price of sugarcane and sugarcane was purchased at the rate of Rs 180 per maund from cultivators in Punjab while sugarcane farmers were made payment at the rate of Rs 155 per maund in Sindh.
Shehbaz said that interests of sugarcane farmers were protected at every cost and stern action would be taken against sugar mills who fail to make timely payment to sugarcane farmers. He said that no loss will be allowed to be caused to the farmers.
“The agriculture is an important pillar of national economy, if agriculture develops then Pakistan will develop as well,” he said.
The chief minister said that he is ready to provide resources of billions of rupees for the agriculture development but a comprehensive programme should be evolved for increasing production in this regard and a coordinated model be prepared for increasing agri production.
He said that agriculture conference will be arranged in Punjab in September in which all stake-holders will be invited. He said that farmers should give positive proposals for increasing agri production and a strategy will be formulated in the light of their proposals.
THANKYOU CM:
PKI President Khalid Khokhar said that the chief minister has truly proved himself to be farmer-friendly by taking personal interest in resolution of problems of the farmers.
PKI Chairman Muhammad Anwar said that the chief minister is serious in resolving problems of the cultivators.
