KARACHI: The Kisan Ittehad Pakistan has declared a call for a strike across the country in December against the implementation of an agriculture tax on the country that was a recommendation of the World Bank, the IMF.
This was announced by Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, who is the current president of Pakistan Kisan Ittehad. This although, comes at a time when farmers are finding it difficult to break even on their cost of production and it is even becoming harder to remain in the business of farming.
As per Khokhar, there is no backing from any political organizations and the movement stands missing any political agenda. He issued a statement regarding the agriculture income tax that the farmers surrender if there is unbearable hardship hence they must accept the imposition of the tax with total resignation.
His assertion came at a time when the electricity connections of most farmers were also being switched off because of the ongoing protests.
The leader of Pakistan Kisan Ittehad further stated that in developed countries whenever support prices are being offered to the farmers, the practice does not exist in Pakistan due to growing food insecurity. He charged that agriculture is being systematically destroyed in connection with a global conspiracy, noting the wheat purchase for instance that depressed local farmers.
Khokhar disclosed a 60% drop in mango farming, a 70% decrease in sesame seed farming, and a wheat production forecast that would be down by 20 to 30%.
Also, as if that is not enough, complaints are being filed against farmers, which is even worse. Khokhar proclaimed that given the current state of affairs, it was imperative to give agriculture of an estimated acreage a very high priority, or else the country’s food supply would be under threat.
