According to Dawn News, farmers across Pakistan held nationwide protests on Sunday against corporate farming, new canal construction projects, the lack of a wheat support price, and the planned privatisation of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).
The protests were led by the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (PKRC) and took place in over 30 towns and cities, including major areas like Islamabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Jhang, Bhakkar, Larkana, Sukkur, Badin, Mardan, Dir, and Malakand.
PKRC Secretary General Farooq Tariq, speaking at a protest in Kacha Khu, said the government had given 1.7 million acres of agricultural land on lease to large corporations. He claimed this would harm small farmers, disrupt local food systems, and put profits ahead of sustainability and fairness.
Farooq Tariq also demanded strong agrarian reforms. He called for laws that ensure land rights for farmers, proper land regulation, and redistribution, as guided by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Rural Workers.
Women’s leader of PKRC, Riffat Maqsood, demanded a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs4,000 per 40kg of wheat. She said that setting this price would protect farmers from unpredictable market forces and ensure fair income for their crops. She also supported public grain storage and buying by the government.
Another leader, Mahar Ghulam Abbas, said farmers had already stood firm against corporate land takeovers in areas like Kot Addu, Arifwala, and Hasilpur. He urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to bring back the special committee that was formed to address farmer issues.
Zulfikar Awan, president of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, warned that farmers would resist any effort to take away their land. He asked the government to cancel all notices served to farmers and stop displacing them.
In Bahawalpur, speakers like Razia Khan and Farooq Ahmad rejected the government’s plan to build six new canals over the Indus River for corporate farming in the Cholistan region. Other farmer leaders, including Saiema Zia in Lahore and Ali Khoso in Shikarpur, also voiced strong opposition.
The protests were peaceful but powerful, showing unity among farmers fighting for their rights and the future of agriculture in Pakistan.
