LAHORE: Hundreds of farmers ended their sit-in at Thokar Niaz Baig here on Thursday following assurance by Punjab chief minister’s son MNA Hamza Shahbaz that the government was ready to accept their demands.

The farmers were protesting against Punjab government for not allowing them to hold a “Kisan Convention” at Nasser Bagh to protest over-billing of farm tube-wells and increasing prices of fertilisers and pesticides.

A negotiating team led by Mr Hamza and comprising Rana Sanaullah, Punjab chief secretary, Lahore division commissioner and district coordination officer held a marathon meeting with representatives of Pakistan Kisan Ittehad (PKI) chairman Chaudhry Anwer, president Zulifqar Awan and others at PML-N Central Secretariat in Model Town.

It took the two sides more than six hours to reach an agreement under which all the arrested activists of the Ittehad were released, while cases registered against them would also be withdrawn.

Under the agreement, procurement of all the wheat produced in the province at the support price would be ensured, over-billing of farm tube-wells would be done away with and the federal government would be requested to review the rate of General Sales Tax on fertilisers, seeds and pesticides.

The police had on Wednesday manhandled more than 250 protesting farmers before arresting them outside the Lahore Press Club. Farmers claimed they were holding a peaceful demonstration without even blocking the road.

Former law minister Rana Sanaullah told reporters the government would start releasing payments to sugarcane cultivators within a week. He said PKI and PML-N would jointly hold a Kisan Convention and Punjab government would bear all the expenses to be incurred on the event.

He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would announce a “Kisan package” after his return from China.

Meanwhile, MNA Hamza Shahbaz said all demands of farmers regarding increase in support price of wheat had been accepted.

In a statement, the MNA said the government would purchase wheat from farmers at fixed rates and the procurement campaign would continue till the purchase of “last grain”. He said federal government would be contacted to resolve farmers’ problems pertaining to GST.

Earlier, talking to farmers’ representatives, he said complaints regarding over-billing of farm tube-wells were genuine and measures would be taken to resolve the issue.

He said efforts were also being made to reduce the prices of fertilisers, pesticides and seeds.

PKI chairman Chaudhry Anwer said thousands of policemen were deputed and containers were placed to block Multan Road at three places from Chuhng to Thokar Niaz Baig to stop farmers from reaching the provincial capital for raising their voice.

He said the government had promised to resolve the matters pertaining to irrigation and the farmers arrested by police would also be released.

He said despite police torture of farmers, no road was blocked.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2015

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