MULTAN: The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) held a procession against the government’s alleged anti-farmer policies here on Monday.

The procession, led by PKI President Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, started from Pul Rango and culminated at Nawan Shehr Chowk where a rally was held.

A delegation of the Baloch Ittehad Council, led by its Chairman Irfan Khan Rind, also participated in the procession in solidarity with the farmers.

The protesters were carrying banners and chanting slogans against the government for its policies.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Khokhar said the government policies on agriculture had badly damaged the farming community. He lamented that instead of helping the farmers, various government departments, including revenue, irrigation and agriculture, were exploiting them. He said the defenceless farmers were brutally beaten by police in Islamabad during their protest sometime back.

The PKI president warned the government of a protest campaign at larger scale if the farmers’ grievances were not addressed.

The protest demonstration was under way when this report was filed.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2017