Farmers stage sit-in in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Farmers led by Kissan Ittehad on Wednesday staged a sit-in at Blue Area in Islamabad after the authorities barred them from protesting before the Parliament House, ARY NEWS reported.

As soon as the rally of the Kissan Ittehad reached Faizabad, the local administration asked them to stage sit-in at F-9 Park. However, the protesters insisted on moving towards Parliament House and later blocked Blue Area over refusal from authorities.

The authorities blocked road leading Zero Point while heavy traffic jam was also witnessed Khyber Plaza roundabout. The traffic was later diverted to A.K.Fazl-e-Haq Road.

The representatives of the farmers said that the government has not yet sent any delegation to negotiate with them and only local administration approached them to negotiate for providing a place for the sit-in.

Last week, the farmers staged protest at F-9 park in Islamabad against the rise in electricity tariff and inflation and threatened to march toward Islamabad’s D-Chowk if their demands were not fulfilled.

They said that government needs to compensate for the damages caused by the recent rains. The protestors vowed to continue their protest till the fulfilment of their demands.

The protesting farmers have demanded to reduce the power tariff, regretting that the government had raised the electricity to Rs36 per unit.

The demonstrators have also demanded subsidies on fertilizers and diesel, while taxes on agricultural machinery and tractors should be abolished.