Growers agree to call off protest

Committee to be formed to review farmers demands

LAHORE:

Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has announced to end their protest at Thokar Niaz Beg for their demands after dialogues with the Punjab government a few hours after they were subjected to torture, sprinkled with chemical infected water and mass arrests.

The negotiations were held by the leadership of PKI including central president Chaudhry Anwar with Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja, energy minister, CCPO Lahore, DC Lahore and others.

The government announced to make a committee chaired by agriculture secretary to note down the protestors problems, suggestions, demands and put forth recommendations to be tabled before the government.

Raja also announced to release the arrested protesters after completion of the legal formalities.

Arrests and torture

Lahore Police on Wednesday used batons, water cannon and mass arrests to disperse the protesters.

At least 168 were arrested while multiple received serious injuries. SP Sadar Hafeezul Rehman Bugti while launching a crackdown against them ordered to sprinkle chemical infected water on them and use brutal force that they were discouraged to the fullest.

The protesters also resisted and tried to pay in the same coin. They also hit police with stones to resist the crackdown.

They after being dispersed tried to regroup at Multan Road. However, their efforts to gather and police use of force to disperse continued for a long period of time.

After the failure to gather at Multan Road, they tried to regroup at Mall Road. However, police also used force against them and many of the protesters were arrested.

Chaudhry Anwar alleged that police had also looted their valuables during the crackdown. The growers had gathered to demand waiving off of electricity surcharges and taxes and fix the unit at Rs5.5 for them.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2020.