Farmers demand relief notification to end protest

Islamabad. The farmers’ (Kissan Ittihad) protest demonstration against the high cost of electricity and fertilizers continued here in Islamabad even on Friday.

The government assured to resolve all issues of farmers but the Ittihad protesters insisted issuance of a proper notification for relief. The protesters have warned to continue ‘sit-in’ till acceptance of all demands in written form. The protesters were crossing all multiple barriers and obstacles that were placed to block the protest demonstration of farmers.

The protest demonstrations under the umbrella of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) entered the third day Friday. The farmers are demanding the restoration of the previous tubewell electricity tariff of Rs5.3/ unit and abolishing all taxes and adjustments. The administration has summoned heavy contingents of police as the farmers tried to march towards D-Chowk. Several rounds of talks were held but remained unsuccessful till the filing of this report.

The rally earlier entered Islamabad via Grand Trunk Road on Wednesday and staged a sit-in at Blue Area, the City’s central business hub merely a few kilometres from the Red Zone. The demonstrators demand an end to the black marketing of fertilisers and a reduction of the urea rate.