Farmers reject Punjab CM Maryam’s Wheat support package

LAHORE:  The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad Council (PKIC), a leading farmers association has rejected the Punjab governmnets 15 Billion Wheat Support Package.

The PKIC President, Khalid Mehmood Khokar held a press conference in Multan protesting against the provincial governmnet wheat package stating that We dont need chairty, instead we need fair compensation.

While addressing the press conference Khalid Khokar epressed deep disaapoitnmnet with governments relief measures.

He cautioned that farmers might decide not to plant wheat in the upcoming season unless immediate measures are implemented. “Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz requested farmers to grow wheat, but no one is paying attention to their predicament these days.”

The Rs15 billion package has come under fire for ignoring the realities on the ground. It includes direct payments via the Kisan Card, a four-month free storage facility under the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) system, and exemption from irrigation tax.

It is a joke, this subsidy. There won’t be any help for Punjab’s 5.5 million farmers, who will only get a few thousand rupees each, Khokhar added.

Similar opinions were expressed by other agricultural leaders. PKI’s Chaudhry Rizwan asserted that the EWR scheme would largely benefit big brokers and stockists.

Khalid Mahmood Khokhar responded that regular farmers don’t have the money to keep wheat and wait for good market prices. “Capitalists can hoard, but small farmers are being crushed,” he remarked.

Khokhar also warned of the increasing emotional distress brought on by negligence and voiced concern about the growing mental health burden on farmers. He emphasized that food security for 250 million people is at risk and called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir to step in.