Pakistan: Farmers threaten govt to go on strike if demands not met, give deadline of Feb 20

Pakistan's Kissan Ittehad Awami Party threatened the provincial government over issues faced by farmers in Punjab province and gave deadline of February 20 to solve the grievances.

Pakistan's Kissan Ittehad Awami Party threatened the provincial government over issues faced by farmers in Punjab province and gave deadline of February 20 to solve the grievances. Quoting party Chairman Abdul Rauf Tatla, The News International reported that if farmers grievances are not addressed, the sowing of all kinds of crops will be stopped and a strike will be observed across Punjab alongside a sit-in in front of the Punjab Assembly.

He said that due to poor agricultural policies of current and former rulers and economic crisis, farmers were suffering from severe distress and misery. Earlier, farmers decided to protest against the government in Multan city of Punjab province on February 14 over its recent move of revoking GST exemption from agriculture.

Speaking from Lahore, Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, president of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad on Saturday said that after so many useless meetings with the representatives of federal and provincial governments, PKI is forced to stage a protest on February 14 in Multan, followed by all districts and provincial and federal capitals, The News Internationa reported. The PKI president also said that animals, poultry, fish and farmers' kids would be attending the protest along with farmers next month.

The recent move of the government revoking GST exemption from agriculture inputs like maize hybrid imported seed, rice hybrid seed, vegetable seed, fodder seed, all local seeds, fish meal, animal feed, soyabean, raw cotton, benola, cotton seed oil, oil cakes, agriculture machinery, fodder, fish meal, animal feed and poultry feed machinery will not only trouble farmers but also animals. (ANI)

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