Police crack down on Sindh sugarcane growers' protest as PPP cries 'conspiracy'

Hundreds of sugarcane growers attempted to stage a protest near Bilawal House in Karachi on Monday, condemning delays in the crushing of harvested sugarcane by millers and corruption in the fixing of the official price of sugarcane in the province.

The protesters tried to block a thoroughfare near Bilawal Chowrangi before police intervened and arrested around 70 to 80 growers over charges of attempting to enter the Red Zone "and trying to disrupt the supply of oil to other parts of the country", Clifton SP Assad Malhi told Dawn.

While talking to Dawn, the protesters complained that influential mill owners had been exploiting sugarcane growers and offering them only Rs140 for 40 kilogrammes of sugarcane instead of Rs180, which is the official price guaranteed by the government.

In an earlier report, the growers had alleged — calling it "an established fact" — that of the 34 mills in Sindh, 19 are owned by Asif Ali Zardari. "That’s why the Sindh agriculture minister is helpless in ensuring the commencement of the crushing season," they had said.

The inordinate delay in the purchase of sugarcane on one pretext or the other had passed over into the crushing season, the growers said on Monday. They also complained that, owing to the delay in the purchase of sugarcane, the wheat sowing season had also been affected, resulting in significant financial difficulties for farmers.

A police official said the protesters had been asked to take their protest to the Karachi Press Club, but they had not agreed to do so, following which “light action was taken against them in which some 70-80 protesters have been taken into custody”.

“There were women too among the protesters, but we haven’t arrested them,” Malhi clarified.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal later addressed a press conference and claimed that the issue was being politicised, adding that “actual sugarcane growers were not part of today’s drama”.

Siyal held the federal government responsible for the situation and said that the Sindh government had no authority over mill owners till December 15, 2017.

The Sindh home minister also asked the authorities to release the arrested protesters.

Pakistan

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, government affairs, and the health sector.

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Mirza Baig

Dec 11, 2017 07:18pm

Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are 2 peas in a pod. If Sind farmers wants justice, they have to make their voice known. Unfortunately most of the farmers have been kept illiterate by design by Zardari and his party to keep then in the shackles of illiteracy.

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Dr Malaria, Machar Khan

Dec 11, 2017 07:33pm

I'm glad to see Sindhi farmers are coming forward to voice their grievances against the high handedness of Zardari and co. So far they had been kept silent by force by this mafia group.

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Machiavellian

Dec 11, 2017 07:44pm

This is for the first time the sugar cane growers dare to protest on Bilawal House. The reports of no payments or less payments were earlier rampant in media. Former President Asif Ali Zardari may please take notice, and ensure that farmers got better price for their crops. Thanks.

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abdullah khuhro

Dec 11, 2017 07:51pm

The growers of sindh are not brisk in protest making because mostly they are small land owners so they were not familiar about the metropolitan city culture to dodge police and reach their targeted destination.these simpleton peasants were entrenched in nearby hotels and herded into police mobiles.The treatment met out to these peasants smacks of brutality of government.could Agricultural minister make sure the running of all sugar mills and fixed rate of 182 rupees from tomorrow?

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Janan

Dec 11, 2017 09:12pm

Wow 19 sugar mills out of 34 own by Mr. Asif li Zar dari. I fell off the chair reading this shocking fact. Where did he got the money to invest in such an expensive mills. In my opinion single sugar mill shall cost more then 2 billion PKR.

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CHARLIE

Dec 11, 2017 09:21pm

Remember what these farmers are protesting for - Rs 180/40kg. While the mill owners have been minting it like anything. Sugar sold at higher rates than the international price, while at the same time getting subsidies from the government because they are the government. All while the farmer is being crushed - he can't even expect to get the fruits of his labor.

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Imran Ahmed

Dec 11, 2017 09:36pm

"Attempted" to stage their protest but their legal right was thwarted, this by the Party that rules as their representative, in their name.

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Mohd Ilyas

Dec 11, 2017 09:40pm

Thank you Mr Imran Khan for giving ordinary people the direction and courage to stand up for their rights. Pakistan owes you a great deal of gratitude.

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Farmer of sindh

Dec 11, 2017 10:01pm

The small farmers of Sindh are undergoing worst exploitation by influential mafias under the umbrella of Government of Sindh. In every transaction the farmers/zamindars are victimized from purchasing inputs at inflated rates, suffering climatic vulnerabilities to their crops and selling the produce and shrunk rates. Additionally, their produce is cut 1 to 2 Kg/40 kg while sellling and encounter 0.3 % deduction as BHATTA. All the concerned authorities are requested to take the notice of diminishing status of Agriculture affairs of Sindh.

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Saeed

Dec 11, 2017 10:40pm

Mr Sial is bluntly lying publically. He was the one who assureed grower bodies regarding Rs 182 price. PPP has teared apart sugar cane act and officials are helpless. They are suppressing voice of poor farmers through manhandling mimicing the era of dictatorship. Police acting like a B team and personal force of PPP high ups. But the problem lies with farmers. Why do they cultivate sugar cane when they know this will happen. and if even there is no other option, why do they vote PPP goones to power at all?

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Citizen

Dec 11, 2017 10:48pm

who to intervene. simple question why official rate of sugar cane not implemented. Sindh Government writ is at stake.

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Adil306

Dec 11, 2017 11:06pm

Devastating situation for the farmers. How much more Zardari and co need to live a lavishly live?

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Owais

Dec 11, 2017 11:46pm

I personally belong to a family whose income is dependent on agriculture and I couldn’t describe despair and disappointment in the eyes of sugar cane growers. First we elect these people and than they rape us. The ministry regulating the price and the mill owners are one and the same person. To be very specific this is a one man show (Asif zardari) and now no doubt bilawal will surely follow his father footsteps. First they told us they are proving us Rs 180 per 40kg and so we started crushing expecting a better rate in khairpur. However, the mill owners werent even ready to give us rs 110 per 40 kg. The PPP has almost turned us into beggars as we have sold the stock not even recovering the cost, mind it this doesnot include the loans we have taken to get the seed and now the loan money and the interest we have to pay.

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Ahsan Gul

Dec 12, 2017 01:24am

Country is in grips of dishonest and corrupt politicians who happen to own these sugar mills also. Unless, people rise up and demand accountability about these politicians wealth and properties these guys will continue to get stronger. Good for our farmer brothers to demand their price and justice.

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