SWABI: A farmer set on fire bales of his tobacco as a mark of protest here on Sunday, saying that he was taking this step due to government’s “indifference and its policies favouring the companies”.

Leaders of various unions of farmers and members of Swabi action committee attended the protest outside the Swabi Press Club.

A number of tobacco cultivators, leaders of political parties and people belonging to different walks of life reached the press club to witness the scene.

The farmer, Tamriaz Khan, who belongs to Shahmansoor Village, torched five bundles of fine quality Flue-Cured Virginia outside the press club. “The government has set the price of tobacco at Rs740 per kilogram and the companies, small cigarette manufacturers, traders and business community buy it from farmers at Rs350 per kg,” he said.

He lamented that both federal and provincial governments were collecting taxes but were least bothered to protect the growers from exploitation.

The farmer said that the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) members were also witnessing the exploitation of the growers, and did not bother to visit the purchasing points in tobacco growing districts.

Tamriaz Khan said, “The business community, especially small cigarettes manufacturers have moved from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Kashmir and Punjab because they don’t face any problem over there.”

Salim Khan advocate, spokesperson for the Swabi action committee, said that the Rs390 federal excise duty had been imposed by the federal government.

“Now companies and cigarette manufacturers have adopted a strategy of collecting it from the growers in different ways,” he said.

“Where is PTB? Where are the federal and provincial governments? Where is the district administration?” he asked.

He added that the Federal Board of Revenue had installed cameras in all the warehouses of small companies for collection of federal excise duty.

“Rangers have also been deployed and are monitoring the roads but it is deplorable that as soon as they cross Attock and enter Punjab, there is no FBR, no tax, and no other measures in place to harass the farmers or the business community,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026