Pakistan: Jamaat-e-Islami to hold protest across Punjab to raise voice for farmers' demands

The Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan, Hafiz Naeemur-Rehman, announced the protest.

Further, the Secretary General of JI, Ameerul Azim, said that the sit-in protests will take place on Tuesday, April 30, on major roads across the province, as reported by ARY News.

In a statement, the secretary general of JI attributed the escalating wheat crisis to the government's misguided policies.

He further criticised the provincial government for disregarding the plight of farmers.

He highlighted the withdrawal of subsidies on essential agricultural products, a move influenced by pressure from the IMF.

Eventually, farmers find themselves unable to sell their wheat at the government's support price, with middlemen exploiting the situation to their advantage, reported ARY News.

Secretary General Azim also condemned the opportunistic behaviour of certain groups that exploit shortages or surpluses of basic necessities for personal gain.

He reiterated JI's steadfast support for farmers and vowed solidarity during these challenging times.

Earlier this month, Kissan Ittehad chairman Khalid Hussain Bath said on Wednesday that the farmers will stage a sit-in in Pakistan over low wheat support prices on April 19, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

While speaking on ARY News show "The Reporters," Khalid Hussain Bath said that the government has imported wheat worth USD 2.2 million, which has not been used yet. However, he added that local growers were not able to sell their crops.

He said that the government, instead of buying wheat from local farmers in Punjab, imported it. Khalid Hussain Bath said that farmers had stocks of wheat with no buyers while the flour mills were buying wheat for Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 3000 per 40 kg bag.

Khalid Hussain Bath also highlighted the rising fuel prices, which he stressed have further increased the challenges for the farmers. (ANI)