Farmers' protest in Lahore continued for second day

LAHORE: The farmers protest and sit-in at Thokar Niaz Baig here continued on second day after the talks between government officials and farmers failed on Wednesday (yesterday).

According to ARY News protesters have opened road for the vehicular traffic going out of Lahore. However, vehicles coming to the city finding a blocked road causing heavy traffic jam due to the protest sit-in of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad.

The farmers who have continued their protest for the second day on Thursday demanding immediate start of crushing of sugarcane by sugar mills and restoration of old price of fertilizer and urea.

Pakistan Kissan Ittehad also demanding of the government to announce price of sugarcane and immediate payment of previous arrears to farmers by the sugar mills owners.

The farmers have also threatened to stage a sit-in at Mall Road in Lahore if their demands were not met. Heavy contingents of law enforcement personnel are also present to tackle an untoward situation.

The farmers had reached Lahore yesterday from various parts of Punjab, and staged a sit-in at Thokar Niaz Baig area of the city.

A government team comprising of provincial agriculture and health ministers held talks with the leaders of farmers.

A spokesman of protesting farmers said the ministers were conveyed seven demands of the farmers and they had promised to convey the demands to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

The overall demands included immediate start of sugarcane crushing by sugar mills, cut in fertilizer’s price and the cost of per unit electricity, establishment of markets exclusively for farmers where they could directly sale their products, announcement of support prices of sugarcane and wheat and withdrawal of cases against farmers.