Farmers in various cities of Punjab continue to protest against the government’s failure to procure wheat, leading to widespread demonstrations and hunger strikes in many areas. The protests, sparked by the government’s inability to provide subsidies to small-scale farmers for wheat procurement, have expanded across the entire province.
In several cities, farmers have raised slogans against the administration and accused the Punjab Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) of favoring private traders in wheat sales. Khalid Hussain Bhath, Chairman of the Farmers Union, emphasized that farmers are protesting vehemently due to the non-procurement of wheat. He warned that the protests will persist until the government sets a target for wheat procurement.
“We will stage sit-ins with our livestock on crucial highways in every district,” Bhath asserted. Furthermore, he highlighted that many protestors have been detained by the authorities, with no communication from the government regarding wheat procurement. Bhatt reiterated that farmers will not back down until their demands are met. “We are being forced to take to the streets in every district and city,” he stated, adding that the government is exploiting farmers economically.
