Siraj urges govt to accept farmers’ demands

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has demanded the government immediately announce increase in support price of wheat, sugarcane and other major crops and accept all other demands of the farmers who had been protesting in Lahore against the anti-agriculture policies of the PTI government.

Talking to the media after holding a meeting with the representatives of the farmers at Mansoora here on Wednesday, he demanded unconditional apology from the government for unleashing police crackdown and torture against protesting growers at Thokar Niaz Baig which resulted in several farmers including elderly peasants receiving serious injuries.

Calling for release of the detained farmers without any delay, he said it was unfortunate that rulers were deaf, dumb and blind to the plight of the people and seemed unmoved to their demands. The JI, he said, had already started anti-inflation campaign by holding a historic mass rally in Bajaur (KP) on November 1 and it would continue protest demonstrations all over the country till the acceptance all fair demands of the public. To a question, he replied that he could not make any anticipation regarding the government tenure but it was obvious that the government writ seemed nowhere.

Senator Siraj, however, called for public dialogue engaging all the senior leadership of the political parties to bring electoral reforms before the next election. There would be a no use of elections if they held under the same circumstances, he clarified.