SAHIWAL: Up to 53 Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) activists were taken into custody on Friday at Pakpattan Chowk, who were travelling to Islamabad to participate in a farmers’ march outside Parliament House, City Deputy Superintendent of Police Shakeel Ahmed said.

The farmers have been detained at the Civil Lines police station.

The group consisted of farmers from Chichawatni and Kasowal while their leader retired Capt Muhammad Hussain has already arrived in Islamabad and he was part of the demonstration which the police beat up.

He told Dawn from Islamabad that Islamabad police had arrested 350 farmers, and of them 15 belonged to Sahiwal. He criticised police torture on farmers, saying that the government had treated farmers harshly.

Dawn learned from sources that Abdur Rehman Wattoo, provincial PKI general secretary, who is from Pakpattan, was severely beaten by Islamabad police during the demonstration. Mr Husain said Mr Wattoo had suffered head injuries and had been shifted to PIMS for treatment. Mr Wattoo is also Union Council Jaga Balooch vice-chairman.

Farmers demand better incentives to boost the sector. Mr Husain said the Punjab police has stopped many farmers caravans at the Habibabad Bridge on Friday.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2017