SWABI, Aug 22: As the hunger strike of the tobacco growers entered its fifth day here on Friday, the Ittehad-i-Kashtkaran announced the growers would torch their produce on Saturday.

The burning of tobacco crop would continue for three days and the growers would hold a public meeting on Aug 25 to press the government and the tobacco purchasing companies for the acceptance of their demands.

This was announced by the Ittehad leaders Arif Ali Khan and Hidayat Ali.

They said that the growers of Buner and Mardan districts would also join them in the Aug 25 meeting. They claimed that 80 per cent growers had registered their names with the Ittehad for carrying out self-immolation if the tobacco companies  failed to meet their demands.

They said it was the responsibility of the government and Pakistan Tobacco Board to bound the companies to pick up all the tobacco from the growers on average prices and uphold the tobacco marketing law, besides withdrawing the cess development tax and down-grading the crop.

They said that the provincial government and PTB had done nothing for the welfare of the growers and toed the companies’ line.