RAHIM YAR KHAN: Rail traffic on the Karachi-Lahore main section came to a halt on Wednesday afternoon when hundreds of cane growers protesting against the conduct of local mills sat on the track.

Over 20 up and down express trains were stopped at different stations in south Punjab and upper Sindh. Protesters refused to talk to an official team led by the assistance commissioner.

RY Khan DC Socrat Aman Rana told Dawn at 11pm that the rail track would be cleared before midnight

The farmers were protesting against Ittehad Sugar Mills for closing its three major circles (offices) that issued permits, and blocked Shahi Road and the main railway track at Taranda Sawaye Khan level crossing, 24km from here.

The farmers claimed that five sugar mills in Rahim Yar Khan were not issuing them permits and the growers were forced to sell their crop to middlemen for Rs120 to Rs140 per maund (40kg).

They demanded permits be issued on merit after eliminating the role of middlemen. They said that no official of the district administration had approached them to listen to their grievances.

PML-N MPA from Khanpur Ijaz Shafi told this correspondent that sugarcane farmers of the district were facing difficulties due to huge cultivation of the crop this time. He said if Chaudhry Sugar Mills of Kot Samaba was made functional even for this year only, the farmers will get relief in selling their produce.

Assistant Commissioner Aitzaz Anjum told Dawn that he had arrested 10 middlemen on charge of buying cane from farmers on low rates, and registered first information reports against them.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2018