Farmers’ Leader Appeals to Army Chief for Urgent Intervention to Save Agriculture

MULTAN:Central President of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) Khalid Mehmood Khokhar has urgently appealed to the Army Chief to intervene in the country’s, calling for the immediate declaration of an agricultural emergency. Addressing a press conference at the Multan Press Club, Khokhar expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of the sector, emphasizing that agriculture, a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economy, is being severely neglected.

Khokhar criticized the lack of attention towards agriculture in both federal and provincial assemblies, as well as in the Senate, despite its fundamental importance. He warned that without swift intervention, Pakistan could face a wheat shortage in the near future. “If agriculture improves, the economy will stabilize, and law and order will follow,” he stated, highlighting that farmers are on the brink of disaster.

He also took aim at the IMF’s influence on Pakistan’s agricultural policies, claiming that the organization restricts the government from setting crop support prices, while ignoring more pressing issues like corruption. He noted that in most developed nations, farmers receive fair support prices, but in Pakistan, they are struggling to survive due to low prices and rising costs.

Khokhar further discussed the challenges in the rice and sugarcane sectors, where farmers are receiving inadequate rates for their crops, and sugar mills are failing to clear dues. The disparity in electricity rates was also brought up, with farmers paying significantly more than industries, exacerbating their financial burden.

He urged the government to prioritize food security, warning that negative growth in agriculture is expected next year if urgent reforms are not implemented. Khokhar proposed a national dialogue in Islamabad, involving farmers from all provinces, to devise solutions for the sector. He also offered PKI’s support in organizing the event.

“Our country is importing wheat while local stocks lie unused,” Khokhar concluded, stressing the need for immediate and decisive action to revive Pakistan’s agriculture.