Arrests, Protests Escalate as Punjab Farmers Demand Fair Wheat Prices

News Desk

Islamabad: The Punjab police have initiated arrests of farmers’ leaders across the province following their announcement of a protest in front of the Punjab Assembly.

This protest stems from Punjab farmers’ dissatisfaction with the delayed purchase of wheat at the government-fixed price, exacerbated by recent wet weather in the region.

Farmers had planned to demonstrate in front of the Punjab Assembly in Lahore, but police crackdowns resulted in the arrest of leaders like President Mumtaz Daulatana in Pir Mahal.

Furthermore, police presence at the Motorway M-3 Interchange aimed to prevent farmers from reaching Lahore for the protest.

In Rahim Yar Khan, farmers expressed their discontent by wearing chains around their necks due to the delays in the official wheat procurement drive. Following a crackdown in Daska, the district president of the Farmers Alliance advised members to individually make their way to Lahore instead of traveling in convoys.

Hafiz Javed Goraya, a prominent farmers’ leader, highlighted the hardship faced by farmers who are forced to sell their produce at a significantly lower rate of 3,000 rupees per maund, compared to the official price of 3,900 rupees, due to delays in the wheat procurement process.