ISLAMABAD: The PPP has reiterated its commitment to supporting the farming community and vowed to continue its struggle to end all injustices faced by the farmers.

“PPP remains committed to respecting, empowering, and reviving the ag­­ricultural sector for a pr­­o­s­­perous Pakistan,” said the party’s Central Informa­tion Secretary Shazia Ma­­rri. She quoted PPP Chair­man Bilawal Bhutto-Zar­d­ari as saying that no economy can be strong if its farmers are weak.

“Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari believes that strengthening the farmer means strengthening Pakistan itself,” Ms Marri said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Ms Marri said that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s vision was clear — the true measure of progress lies in the prosperity of farmers. She recalled that during the PPP government, Pakistan had moved from wheat shortage to becoming a wheat-exporting country, owing to farmer-friendly policies.

She said that the PPP chairman had always stood by the farmers, advocating for timely procurement and fair prices.

Highlighting the impact of climate change, the PPP leader said that it posed a serious threat to every Pakistani farmer. She added that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emphasised the need for investment in sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture, envisioning a modern agricultural economy where small farmers could progress through technology and access to fair markets.

She said the PPP believed that insurance, credit access, and transparent governance were essential to protect farmers from the adverse effects of climate change.

Ms Marri appreciated the government’s decision to allow wheat procurement, terming it a longstanding demand of the PPP. She added that approving the support price for wheat was also a PPP demand; however, she noted that fixing the price at Rs4,000 instead of Rs3,500 per 40kg would have been more beneficial for farmers. She further said that reducing the income tax from 45 per cent to 15pc was an important relief measure for the farming community.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2025