QUETTA: Kisan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth on Friday called for the declaration of an agricultural emergency in Balochistan, stressing that deteriorating security conditions and government policies had severely affected farmers and the province’s rural economy.
Addressing a press conference at his office, Mr Batth expressed concern over the prevailing situation in Balochistan, saying businessmen, members of civil society, Frontier Corps, police and Levies personnel, as well as other government employees, had lost their lives in recent incidents.
He said the worsening security situation was having a serious impact on farmers and urged the government to take immediate measures to restore peace and improve the overall situation.
“If farmers prosper, Balochistan and Pakistan will prosper,” he said, stressing that agriculture was vital to the country’s food security and economy.
Kisan Ittehad chief says insecurity taking a toll on rural economy; urges govt to remove restrictions on agri-inputs, equipment
Mr Batth said farmers played a crucial role in meeting the country’s food requirements by producing wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits and other agricultural commodities. He added that the agriculture sector also contributed to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
He claimed that farmers had faced increasing difficulties over the past three years because of “flawed government policies”.
He said flour prices had become one of the most serious issues in Balochistan, with consumers in Quetta and other parts of the province facing some of the highest prices in the country.
Mr Batth said wheat growers had failed to receive adequate prices for their produce despite bearing rising cultivation costs, while poor consumers were struggling to afford bread.
The Kisan Ittehad chairman said poverty was increasing in rural areas and noted that, in the absence of major industries in Balochistan, a large section of the population depended on agriculture, livestock, border trade and commerce for their livelihoods. He said these sectors were also facing severe difficulties.
Mr Batth called for the removal of restrictions affecting the transportation and availability of essential agricultural inputs, including fertiliser, solar equipment, tube-well machinery, seeds and agricultural medicines. He also urged the government to declare an agricultural emergency to revive the sector.
He also called for an investigation into the foreign visits of senior bureaucrats and demanded an end to the practice of dual citizenship among officials involved in important policy decisions.
Responding to a question, he said the security situation in Balochistan had become extremely tense and claimed that no major highway could currently be considered completely safe.
He also criticised the provincial administration, saying the Balochistan chief secretary had been serving in the province for the past three years but had failed to improve the situation.
He called for the appointment of a competent and dedicated officer capable of ensuring good governance and addressing the province’s worsening problems.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2026
