ISLAMABAD, July 20: Hundreds of farmers on Wednesday asked the government to protect the agriculture sector from the implications of the WTO agreements and adopt a pro-farmer stance during the ongoing negotiations on finalisation of modalities for Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) by the end of the current year. The rally was organized by the Caritas Pakistan Islamabad- Rawalpindi in collaboration with Action Aid Pakistan and the Farmers Federations formed by the farmers of Sargodha, Khushab and Mianwali districts.

Carrying placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their rights and against the hazardous impacts of the WTO regime, they assembled at China Chowk and condemned the huge subsidies given by the rich countries, including the United States and the European Union member, countries to their agriculture sector.

They asked the government not to let the rich countries pressurise Pakistan to withdraw subsidies and support prices to its agriculture sector. They said the poor and small farmers of Pakistan were not only feeding 150 million population but were also the backbone of their country’s economy.

“We think the current negotiations or agreements on agriculture, general agreement on trade and services are very important.

Once the agreements are finalised, there will be little chance to amend them,” said one of the banner.

The farmers demanded that the government should take all stakeholders into confidence before taking any decision.

Speaking on the occasion, Mustafa Talpur from ActionAid said the policies of the government for the last two decades had pushed the people into extreme poverty.

The policies adopted either under pressure from the international financial institutions or under the regime of World Trade Organization are bound to eliminate subsidies, support prices and other mechanism which are essential for our agriculture sector, he said.

He said the WTO controlled by rich and powerful countries was further worsening the situation of our farmers. The rich countries provide huge subsidies, export support and support to their agriculture sector; however, the government in Pakistan has even eliminated the minimum support to its agriculture sector.