QUETTA, Oct 9: Hundreds of farmers staged a protest demonstration on Thursday and demanded that agriculture loans in Balochistan be written off and the Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco) postpone the recovery of dues.

The farmers, carrying banners and placards, marched on various roads of the city and chanted slogans for the acceptance of their demands.

They gathered in front of the press club, where leaders of Zamindar Action Committee spoke.

The committee’s chairman, Taj Mohammad Agha, criticized Qesco and the government.

He said the prolonged drought had destroyed agriculture in the province and the growers were unable to repay the loans obtained from the Agriculture Development Bank and other financial institutions.

He said that despite the poor economic condition of the growers, Qesco was issuing notices to them for the payment of dues.

“We cannot pay the dues in this situation,” he said.

He said Qesco had disconnected supply to tubewells in various areas, which had badly affected the crops.

He said a province-wide campaign would be launched if the demands were not met by Oct 13. He said a meeting of the action committee would be held on Oct 14 to evolve a line of action.