DADU: Two groups of growers both supported by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmakers on Sunday came to blows at a food department outlet near the town during the distribution of gunny bags. The process had to be stopped by food officials when the situation grew tense and police intervened by taking some 9,000 gunny bags in custody.

Food Minister Syed Nasir Shah, who arrived in Dadu earlier in the day, held meetings with Dadu deputy commissioner and local food officials to tackle the issue that turned tense because of the involvement of PPP lawmakers, being stakeholders, in the district.

The provincial government is under obligation to open wheat procurement centres and provide gunny bags to growers in a sufficient number after fixing the official rate for the season. While the opening of the centres has already hit delays, there have been allegations that the government was providing gunny bags only to its (pro-PPP) favourites already causing unrest among those not actively supporting the party.

However, in Dadu district two groups of growers both supporting the PPP turned against each other during the gunny bags distribution process at the food centre (a pick-up point set up by the department in selected towns/districts to distribute gunny bags, procure wheat and perform other operations) in Meenhoon Khan Bhand village.

Scuffles broke out when one group of growers, said to be backed by MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq, raised objection over unfair treatment allegedly meted out to them and undue favour done to the other group of growers, said to be backed by MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali, on the part of local food officials.

The aggrieved growers raising slogans against the MNA and food officials blocked the nearby section of the Indus Highway and disrupted vehicular traffic. They held a demonstration at the adjacent Meenhoon Khan Bhand village, some four kilometres from Dadu city.

During the course of the protest, the gunny bags distribution process remained suspended. MPA Haq contacted the food minister to complain about the alleged unfair treatment. However, before the minister could take any action, the protesting growers forced food officials to stop the process and leave the area.

Dadu Deputy Commissioner Shahzaman Khuhro intervened into the matter to defuse tension. In the meantime, police took around 9,000 gunny bags, yet to be distributed, into custody and took the stock to the B-Section police station.

Soon after reaching Dadu, Food Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah held a meeting in the DC’s office with MNA Jamali and officials of the food department. Food officials told the minister that the distribution was to be held at Piaro Goth but considering the tense atmosphere caused by certain reservations expressed by the MNA and MPA, the venue was shifted to Meehoon Khan Bhand village.

The minister asked the DC to resume the process and distribute gunny bags according to the list of growers and their declared (quantity of) produce. He told the district administration and food officials to verify the data from the revenue record.

The process, however, could not be resumed until last reports came in late in the evening.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2016