SUKKUR: Jamaat Islami (JI) Sindh Ameer Dr Merajul Huda has said that the Sindh government usurps the rights of peasants as during cultivation of the paddy crop, rice was being sold at Rs2,400/- per maund, but the price has been decreased deliberately up to Rs800/- per maund by cutting the rates of sugarcane.

According to reports, addressing a press conference in Jacobabad on Sunday, he accused the government of advocating sugar mills mafia.

He said the JI was the only party which would bring real Islamic democratic system in Pakistan.

He said the Punjab government was giving subsidy to peasants on wheat, but the Sindh government, instead of giving subsidy to them, was snatching the right of gunny bags from growers.

He said that through the Waderas and Jagirdars, tribal clashes were being created deliberately in Sindh due to which economy of the province had been damaged. He said his party along with the poor people of Sindh would wage a Jihad to end such atrocities.

He said land in katcha areas had been occupied by influential people.

Soon the Jamaat under the leadership of Sirajul Haq would play its role to end the ongoing tribal clashes in Sindh, he vowed.

In reply to a question, Dr Meraj said that on April 23, Karachi would be freed from the clutches of terrorists who were supported by the PPP in the name of reconciliation.

JI leaders, including Jacobabad district president Imdadullah Bijarani, Deedar Lashari and Aijaz Memon, were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Dr Meraj took part in the membership campaign of the JI and also took round in Jacobabad city and requested the people to become member of his party. In this regard, a camp was set up at the DC Chowk.

HYDERABAD: Activists of the Sindh Hari Committee (SHC) staged a token hunger strike outside the local press club on Sunday in protest against what they said a planned conspiracy to destroy the farm sector. The hunger strikers were led by committee’s general secretary Mir Munawar Talpur, Comrade Damro Mal Meghwar and others.

Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) general secretary Imdad Kazi, Democratic Students Federation chairman Asar Imam and trade union leaders Ashraf Rajput and Haji Sher Zaman also joined the hunger strikers to express solidarity.

The leaders said that under a planned conspiracy, the agriculture sector was being destroyed. Wheat was not being purchased at the support price fixed by the government and small farmers were not being provided gunny bags for procurement of wheat, they said.

They said artificial water shortage and crisis were created in Sindh which would render Sindh’s agricultural land barren.

They said that adequate prices had not been offered to farmers for cotton and sugarcane and now they were facing the same situation in the case of wheat.

They claimed that this was being done to force farmers sell their land at throw away prices for which feudal lords and their agents were always present.

They said the SHC would organise growers for launching a struggle at a mass scale.

BADIN: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has said the Sindh government is trying to resolve the issues of farmers and growers of the district by providing them irrigation water in minors.

He was talking to reporters at Rajo Khanani where he went to attend a tea party hosted by MPA Mir Allah Bux Talpur.

The CM announced to give the Rural Health Center Talhar the status of taluka hospital.

The CM also offered condolence to Bhoro Mangwano, the father of Mohammad Ayub and Mohamnad Aslam who were shot dead by armed men near Turbat some days ago.

On the occasion, he criticised Dr Mirza for his abusive language against Asif Ali Zardari.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015

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