Farmers’ strike continues into 6th day. PHOTO: FILE
Farmers belonging to Mughalki village and other adjacent areas formed a joint action committee to protest for their rights in spite of the imposition of Section 144 in the area.
Addressing the strikers, the president of the joint action committee (JAC), Haji Ghulam Khaliq said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was the irrigation minister for the previous government and had also launched an irrigation scheme in the same area identified for the new housing scheme project. Residents cannot accept the fact the CM of the province is allowing the project to be executed even though he introduced farmer-friendly schemes in the district in his previous tenure.
Khaliq warned authorities that farmers will not surrender their lands at any cost. The construction of the new scheme was akin to depriving poor children of food, added the JAC president. Khaliq said in their fight to retain their lands, farmers will stage a sit-in at Showbra Chowk.
Leaders from various political parties also visited the hunger strike camp and expressed solidarity with the farmers. The politicians assured protestors of support in their bid to convince the government to withdraw plans for the housing scheme.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2013.
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No government has the right to take over any body's private land to construct new town and buildings. It seems some land developers are behind this scheme, they have done it in other parts of Pakistan and in the process became multi-millionaires. I thought PTI government is there to help the common citizens instead of these elite class in K-P.