Punjab Governor Critiques PML-N Government's Heavy-handed Approach Towards Farmers
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Governor of Punjab, criticizes the PML-N government for using force against farmers collecting electricity bills. He vows to support farmers and address their grievances amid rising agricultural challenges and inflation.
Key Takeaways
- Governor Punjab criticizes PML-N's actions against farmers.
- Security forces used for electricity bill collection.
- Farmers demand reforms to combat rising costs.
- PPP pledges support for farmers at the highest level.
- Political tensions expected between PPP and PML-N.
Lahore, Feb 7 (NationPress) Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, the Governor of Punjab province in Pakistan, has criticized the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government for employing force against farmers and conducting raids at their homes to collect electricity bills.
"It is unacceptable to reduce food prices in cities by stripping farmers of their means of survival," Khan expressed during a meeting with an 80-member delegation from various farmer organizations at the Governor House in Lahore.
The Governor's vehement response followed the government's deployment of security forces, including the Pakistani Rangers, to collect electricity bills from rural areas. Numerous First Information Reports (FIRs) were lodged against farmers for resisting the maltreatment by security personnel.
Governor Punjab announced the establishment of a three-member special committee intended to facilitate communication between the federal government and the farmers.
The farmers' delegation featured members from the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad (PKI) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) South Punjab. They conveyed their worries about the escalating challenges and the current crisis in the agricultural sector, exacerbated by government policies and surging inflation, which have made it exceedingly challenging for them to maintain their livelihoods.
The farmers condemned the government for enacting "anti-agriculture" policies that adversely affect the farming community's interests. They urged for immediate reforms to protect their rights.
They asserted that the rise in costs of fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and seeds, combined with inflated electricity bills, has pushed small-scale farmers to the verge of financial ruin.
The Governor assured that his party (PPP) would never forsake the farmers and would address their issues at the highest echelons.
"PPP will not abandon farmers. The unfair measures against them, including coerced collection of electricity bills and raids on their residences, will be confronted at the highest level," he affirmed.
Experts contend that the farmers' plight is anticipated to evolve into a significant political matter between the PPP and the PML-N in the near future.
The Governor of Punjab, affiliated with the PPP, has openly criticized the PML-N government regarding the farmers' situation, presenting new challenges between the two factions, who are part of the federal coalition.
"The meeting between farmers and the Governor of Punjab should be a troubling concern for Punjab Chief Minister Maryum Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. PPP is now openly criticizing the federal government on various issues, including water supply and distribution matters in Sindh," remarked political analyst Javed Chaudhry.
"PPP has distanced itself from the cabinet and the decision-making process of the PML-N government. It is now clear that PPP intends to leverage the farmers' issue alongside other policy disagreements with the Shehbaz Sharif administration to construct a political narrative that portrays PPP as a representative voice for the populace, establishing its open opposition to the government's policies," he added.
