Police thrash farmers in Islamabad demanding relief

Nisar orders release of farmers, says issues can be resolved by talks

ISLAMABAD: Police baton-charged and used tear gas on farmers who were protesting in Islamabad’s D-Chowk area on Friday demanding relief measures for the agricultural sector in the federal budget.

The protest, which took place just hours before the budget was unveiled in the National Assembly, turned into a clash as police resorted to using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesting farmers.

A crowd of around 300 farmers and peasants, mainly central from Punjab, had gathered at D-Chowk to press for their demands including subsidies for fertilisers and electricity.

Organised by the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad, blocked the road and raised slogans.

But as the protesters who were hoping to hold talks with the government were baton charged by the personnel from the police and Frontier Constabulary contingents who clearly outnumbered the peasants.

The protesters and the law-enforcers openly pelted each other with stones before the police called for a water canon to disperse the crowd. The Metro bus service at the Jinnah Avenue was also briefly suspended during the protest.

A police officer told The Express Tribune that as many as 175 protesters had been arrested. At least eight farmers and a policeman were said to have suffered injuries.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2017.