Farmers end sit-in after negotiations with govt

ISLAMABAD, Oct 04 (APP): Protesting farmers on Tuesday ended their sit-in after a breakthrough in negotiations with the Federal Government about their demands.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a ministerial committee to resolve the growers’ issues, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told newsmen after holding talks with the farmers.

The committee, he said, would hold negotiations with the farmers on Wednesday and all their issues would be settled down.

The minister urged the farmers and their supporters to return to their homes as the ministerial committee would address all their reservations. “The country will prosper once the farmers prosper,” he added.

The Kissan Ittehad, comprising farmers from across Punjab, has been demanding the restoration of previous tube-well electricity tariff of Rs 5.3 per unit and the removal of taxes and adjustments, among other things.

Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Butt called off the protest when Rana Sanaullah said that the government had agreed to the farmers’ demands including delay in payment of electricity bills in installments and cancellation of fuel adjustment charges.

The other demands, the minister said, would be discussed by the ministerial committee with the farmers’ representatives.

Rana Sanaullah said the prime minister would announce a package for farmers in a week or so which would benefit the agriculture sector.

Responding to a question about the PTI’s long march, he said they were fully prepared to deal with them. He chaired a meeting today to finalize a strategy in that regard.

APP Services