Sit-ins across Punjab would be staged for the acceptance of farmers’ demands on April 30 (Tuesday).
This was announced by a senior Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan official.
In a statement, Secretary General Ameer-ul-Azeem said that the JI would stage sit-ins on highways across Punjab in support of due demands made by growers.
He said that the wheat crisis in Pakistan is increasing day by day and even on demands of the farmers the Punjab government is not paying heed. Ever since the subsidies had been withdrawn on the dictation of the World Bank and the IMF, every year new problems are created for farmers. Ameer-ul-Azeem said that this year not only the rate of wheat was kept low, but the purchasing centers are not buying the crop due to which the middleman is looting the farmers by offering cheap prices.
He said that the Jamaat-e-Islami would not leave the farmers alone and the government should complete the purchase from the wheat market by giving subsidy so that flour is available for the people.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly enhanced the government’s wheat procurement target of 1.4 million metric tons to 1.8 million metric tons.
The prime minister made the announcement taking notice of growers’ complaints before his departure to Saudi Arabia.
PASSCO has been directed to increase the target and ensure immediate procurement of wheat. The corporation has been asked to give priority to transparency regarding the procurement of wheat.
