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Protests erupted across the Punjab province of Pakistan as wheat farmers rally against what they describe as unfair wheat prices and ineffective government procurement measures, Dawn reported.
From Sheikhupura to Dera Ghazi Khan, demonstrators have staged sit-ins and rallies and faced clashes with police, demanding better compensation for their wheat harvest. Farmers' unions and political groups such as Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Kissan Ittehad have thrown their support behind the protests, Dawn reported. The unrest comes as the wheat harvest begins across thousands of acres in the province. Despite a healthy and timely crop, farmers report distressingly low market rates, ranging from Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2,200 to PKR 2,500 per 40kg -- rates they argue do not cover their production costs. Many farmers have said they took loans or bought agricultural inputs like fertilisers and pesticides on credit. "We had to borrow from fertiliser dealers just to plant wheat, and now we can't even recover our investment," said Muhammad Ashraf, a farmer from the region. Another farmer, Muhammad Nasir, criticised the authorities for neglecting the agricultural community and accused grain traders of exploiting the situation by offering unfairly low prices, Dawn reported. Protesters have urged Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene and ensure that farmers receive just compensation for their crops. In Rahim Yar Khan, the local chapter of Kisan Board Pakistan held a demonstration outside the deputy commissioner's office, condemning the government's refusal to buy wheat and its failure to implement a fair pricing structure. Meanwhile, the Kissan Bachao Tehrik in Sargodha staged a rally demanding a wheat support price of PKR 4,700 per maund. Similar demonstrations were held in Gujranwala and Sahiwal, where farmers and JI activists set up protest camps and marched to local government offices. Chanting slogans like "No farmers, no food -- no life," they called for immediate and meaningful government action to address their concerns. (ANI)
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