SWABI: A farmers’ body has demanded of the provincial government to waive all the agricultural taxes as most of the farmland in the province had been hit by devastating floods.

The demand was made in a unanimously-adopted resolution during the general council meeting of Ettihad Kashtakaran Pakhtunkhwa (IKP) here on Sunday.

The meeting held in Sara Cheena area was chaired by IKP chairman Arif Ali Khan.

Regional director of agriculture department Dr Mir Khatman Khan, Liaquat Yousafzai, a representative of Tobacco Growers Association Pakistan, Dawood Jan Khan, district vice-president of IKP, and others attended the meeting.

The resolution regretted that when growers faced a natural calamity the government failed to help them, pushing them into financial stress. They asked the government to take steps to boost agricultural output in the province.

Through another resolution, the participants demanded that the proceeds from federal excise duty on tobacco and tobacco development cess should be spent on welfare of growers and their families.

On the occasion, Arif Ali said the government should address the farmers’ problems if it was serious to boost the agricultural sector.

He noted that without the government support it would be difficult for growers to achieve the production targets.

He also called for unity among farmers to adopt a joint strategy for achieving their rights.

Liaqat Yousafzai said price of tobacco should be increased at the ratio of unbridled inflation, and that the companies must announce their purchasing quota as soon as possible to let farmers plan for upcoming crop cultivation.

Meanwhile, a man killed his brother on a trivial issue here on Sunday, the police said.

SHO Swabi city police station Munsif Khan told Dawn that Abdullah took out a pistol and shot dead his brother, Obaidul Rehman after a verbal altercation in Bamkhel village.

The police arrested the accused along with the weapon after registering a case against him on the complaint of his father, Tawab Gul.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2023