ISLAMABAD, July 5: The civil bodies working under Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (Saag) have claimed that the farmers will be unable to compete with giant Trans-National Companies (TNCs).

According to the joint statement issued by the group, farmers will have to sell their lands at cheap rates due to financial difficulties or under the threat from influential and powerful TNCs as a result of which the farmers will be forced to migrate to cities.

The Saag said this situation would worsen the over-crowding problems in urban areas, which was already a big challenge for urban town planners.

This will generally increase unemployment and the jobs available will be in the informal sector.

The Saag flayed the decision to lease out state lands to powerful TNCs leading to massive eviction of indigenous communities living in and around these lands.