ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday ordered financial assistance for farmers affected by the damage to their standing crops in Sialkot due to a firing incident.

He directed the Punjab government to immediately give assistance cheques to the farmers whose 90,000 kilogrammes worth of wheat crop was burnt.

The incident of burning of crops occurred on April 23 at Bela Pul Bajwaan in Bajwat sector. Wheat crop on 77 acres area was burnt affecting 15 farmers.

According to investigation, the fire was ignited due to a fault in a harvesting machine. The fire further expanded when it engulfed a reserve of 80 litres diesel and the fire brigade could not timely reach due to the 32 kilometres distance. However, the fire brigade did manage to control the fire and stop further damage to the standing crops.