Farmers’ protest called off after successful negotiations with govt

The protest sit-in staged by farmers in Islamabad ended on Tuesday after a breakthrough was achieved in negotiations between representatives of farmers and the government, Aaj News reported.

Talking to the media alongside Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Butt, called off the protest.

Speaking during the occasion, Sanaullah said that the government had agreed to the farmers’ demands, which included delay and installments in payments of power bills and cancellation of fuel adjustment charges.

Farmers continue protest after their meeting with PM cancelled

The protest rally of a large of farmers, under the umbrella of Kissan Ittehad Pakistan (KIP) led by its chairman Khalid Hussain Butt, reached the capital city on September 28 after removing the barricades erected by the police to avert their entry into the city.

The protesters have been demanding the government reduce the price of fertilizers including urea and DAP as well as provide electricity to farmers at the rate of Rs5.35 per unit.

The demonstrators also demanded that taxes on agricultural machinery and tractors should be abolished.

They urged the government to fix the minimum wheat support price (MSP) at Rs4,000 per 40kg, and to decrease the prices of pesticides. They said that government needs to take effective steps to stop the black marking of fertilizers. Farmers said that loans should be provided to them at a low-interest rate.

On Monday, a delegation of protesters led by Khalid Hussain Butt went for a meeting with the prime minister at the invitation of Sanaullah but they could not meet the premier due to his busy schedule.

Earlier, two rounds of talks between farmers and government officials had ended in failure. Protesting farmers had demanded a meeting with the prime minister.

“We will march to D-Chowk in case of the failure of talks with the government,” he had warned.