- Punjab CM says interests of farmers very dear to him
The protesting farmers ended their sit-in on Thursday after the Punjab government assured them of resolution of their problems and fulfilment of their genuine demands, but employees of the Punjab Rural Support Programme (PSRP) continued their protest demonstrations outside the Punjab Assembly as they were left unattended.
The protesting farmers ended their protest in the evening after the provincial government assured them of resolution of their problems, but warned they would take to streets again if the government failed to address their grievances.
Earlier, the protesters – farmers and health workers – braved the sizzling heat as their leaders boost up their morale and their colleagues joined them from different areas across the province. Later, the protest camps were visited by leaders of different political groups to express solidarity with the demonstrators and throw weight behind their demands.
As the day wore on and mercury rose, four protesters belonging to the PRSP and Kissan Ittehad fell unconscious due to heat and suffocation after which a water tanker was sent by the WASA to offer some relief to the protestors.
CM SAYS SAFEGUARDING RIGHTS OF CULTIVATORS HIS GOVT’S PRIORITY:
Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for welfare of farmers and development of the agriculture sector, and for this purpose, a special package of Rs 100 billion has been announced.
Presiding over a meeting to review ongoing wheat procurement campaign, Sharif directed to ensure protection of rights of small cultivators in the ongoing wheat procurement campaign at every cost and said if a complaint was received those responsible would not be spared.
He said suggestions and proposals of cultivators would be given importance in the agri policy. The CM said he would meet with the prime minister and finance minister along with a delegation of farmers and would fully advocate their case.
Observing that farmers were the backbone of the agriculture sector, the chief minister said that safeguarding the rights of small cultivators was priority of his government. He said that the interests of farmers were very dear to him and all-out steps were being taken for their betterment.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that wheat should be procured from small cultivators on priority basis and they should not be left at the mercy of middleman. He directed to constitute a committee for making the mechanism of wheat procurement more effective and free of flaws which would review in detail the existing system. He said if any problem was faced by the cultivators then the committee would evolve recommendations for its resolution.
GOVT CONSTITUTES GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE:
A handout released by the Punjab government later in the day claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had constituted a committee comprising of provincial ministers, the chief secretary, secretaries and representatives of the Kissan Ittehad after a dialogue with farmer-leaders.
According to the handout, the committee will formulate recommendations with mutual consultation regarding the agri policy and resolve the problems of the cultivators.
The meeting of the committee will held on Friday and the agri policy would be announced in consultation with representatives of Kissan Ittehad.
FARMERS’ PROTEST:
The protesting farmers, giving vent to their anger, set ablaze empty potato bags. The protestors used loud speakers, chanting slogans against the government and criticising its agricultural policies.
The protestors also offered funeral prayer in absentia for a farmer who died Thursday morning at around 4:00 am of cardiac arrest. The deceased, Haji Naseer, 60, had come to attend the protest from Khanewal. The body of the deceased was sent to his native area in Khanewal after his death. Protestor leaders claimed that Naseer died due to suffocation and unavailability of water. They also alleged that the authorities did not let the protestors use water from the taps installed near Charing Cross.
On Wednesday, different political parties had announced support for the protesting farmers. Particularly the support call given by Pakistan People’s Party’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had raised the moral of the protestors. Bilawal had directed his party’s leadership to join the sit-in at Mall Road, and called upon the government to stop economic murder of the farming community.
On the direction of Bilawal, PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmad, Manzoor Wattoo, Sameena Khalid Ghurki and others joined the protestors.
In his address to the protesting farmers, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that all demands of the farmers were genuine and justified and must be fulfilled. He said that instead of pursuing Metro Bus and Orange Line train projects the government should take steps for the farming community which it was ignoring.
“We standing with farmers for their rights because Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benzair Bhutto had great concern for the farmers,” he said.
Addressing to the protestors, Pakistan Kisan Ittehad’s President Chaudhary Anwer said Haji Naseer of Khanewal was the first martyr of the farmers and announced that his death anniversary would be marked every year on May 19. Anwer also grilled the government for its anti-farmer policies.
A protesting farmer, Zaheer from Burewala, while talking to Pakistan Today complained that the government had claimed it had provided gunny bags but the PASCO provided him with only three bags per acre.
HEALTH WORKERS’ PROTEST:
Workers of the Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP) also continued their protest, demanding regularisation of all workers as the government plans to sack them. The protesters carrying placards inscribed with slogans demanded restoration of the programme. They urged the chief minister and the health minister to take notice of the plight and resolve their issues at the earliest.
Former MNA of PPP, Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmad, while addressing the protesting health workers, said the PPP government had regularised all contractual employees who were sacked during the Pervez Musharaf regime. He vowed to regular all the protesting workers when the PPP comes into power.
ROAD BLOCKADE:
All roads leading to Mall Road remained blocked for every type of traffic, adding to the miseries of motorist and pedestrians alike. Business activities also dropped as markets and shopping centers located on The Mall witnessed low attendance of customers and clients.
Media had boycotted coverage of the protests after a clash between protestors and some media workers.
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