KARACHI, Oct 18: The one month long protest hunger strike by five farmers outside Karachi Press Club on Wednesday was wrapped up following acceptance of their seven, out of eight demands pertaining to implementation of the agreement reached between the department and the farmers on March 17.

“The secretary of irrigation department, Shuja Ahmad

Junejo, representing the government held two sessions with the leaders of the hunger striking farmers and gave them a proof that already necessary steps had been initiated for implementation of the Sukkur agreement and their demand would be met by December,” Ghulam Rasool Bhagat told Dawn.

He said in the negotiations, which spread over two sessions, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, led the farmers team.

Mr Bhagat said due to illegal installation of pipes and water pumps by influential landlords of the area the tail enders were deprived of their due water and their 50,000 acres agriculture land was rendered barren causing immense sufferings to the farmers.

In reply to a question, he said the one demand on which no agreement was reached due to a subjudice matter while other seven demands on which agreement reached between them pertained to sanction of 4ft dia pipe for supplementing from Naulakha Minor to Mehrab and Machar Minor, remodelling of Khairpur Feeder West system, removal of illegal pipes and water courses of Faiz Nahar canal and its off-taking channels and tempered water courses to be rectified for ensuring equitable distribution of water as per required gauges.

All 12 water courses on Faiz Nahar system, which were sanctioned as paddy water courses may be brought to dry crop as there is Section 144 in the district for cultivation of paddy.