HYDERABAD, Dec 14: Agriculture loans outstanding against small growers should be waived and state land be distributed among peasants who, after being released from landlords’ private jails, are not being offered land by others to till.

The demands were made in resolutions adopted by a peasants’ conference organized by the Bhandar Hari Sangat at the Mehran Arts Council here on Sunday.

The conference urged the government to take action against those landlords who were keeping peasants in illegal confinement against loans advanced to them.

It also demanded that concocted cases against peasant families should be withdrawn, nine family members of Mannu Bheel, who were illegally detained by a landlord, should be released and the Bonded Labour (abolition) Act should be implemented in letter and spirit.

Speaking on the occasion, People’s Party Parliamentarian leader Jam Saqi, Communist Party Pakistan secretary-general Imdad Qazi, peasant leader Mandhal Shar, Shahina Ramzan and others said the agriculture sector had suffered huge losses due to the wrong policies of the government.

They said loans advanced to peasants by landlords had lost their validity under the Bonded Labour (abolition) Act 1992 and the rules promulgated in 1995.

Under the circumstances, they demanded, peasants detained at private jails due to non-payments of loans should be freed and action should be taken against the landlords.

They said tillers were becoming poorer with the passage of each day but traders and multinational companies engaged in the sale of agricultural inputs and technology were thriving by exploiting the farming community.

Mr Saqi said private jails had become common in Sindh. He said the rulers were strengthening hands of the landed gentry in order to perpetuate their rule.

He stressed the need for creating awareness among peasants to unite and jointly struggle for their rights.

Mr Qazi said the influence of the feudal lords could not be eliminated without radical agricultural reforms. He added the future of the country was dependent on the elimination of feudal system.

Mr Shar said different peasant organizations would have to unite without which their struggle against the feudal lords could not succeed.