PTI Kisan Wing criticises farm taxes

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab Kisan Wing General Secretary Ejaz Shafi has criticised the Punjab government's agricultural budget for 2026-27, describing it as an anti-farmer package that would burden an already struggling community.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said the provincial government had chosen to impose additional taxes and charges on farmers at a time when they were grappling with rising electricity tariffs, expensive fertilisers and high diesel prices.

He criticised the government's decision to impose a flat agricultural tax of Rs1,000 per acre on landholdings exceeding 12.5 acres, arguing that the move would disproportionately affect small and medium farmers.

According to Shafi, farmers owning between 12.5 and 25 acres previously paid Rs300 per acre, those holding 25 to 50 acres Rs400 per and landowners with more than 50 acres Rs500 per acre.