Sirajul Haq demands subsidy to farmers to avoid food crisis

LAHORE:Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Senator Siraj-ul-Haq has demanded the government provide every possible help and security to the farmers against the Coronavirus devastating the agriculture sector as the wheat harvest had already begun.

The JI leader demanded the government announce procurement of every wheat grain from the growers at the rate of Rs1,500 per maund. He said this during a meeting with JI Kisan Board delegation headed by its president Ch Nisar Ahmed at Mansoora on Monday.

Siraj-ul-Haq demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan declare agriculture emergency in the country and announce an agricultural policy after consultation with the farmers’ representatives in view of the importance of wheat for national food security. He said that the farmers should also be provided funds out of the financial package of Rs1,200 billion announced by the Prime Minister for corona affected.

Siraj demanded that the billions of public money stolen by those involved in the sugar and wheat scam be recovered from them and given away to the deserving farmers and farm workers. Besides, he said, the dues of sugarcane growers which were still pending with the sugar mills owners be recovered. The growers should also be provided free seed and fertilizer for the next crop. He said the recent rains and hail storm in different areas had caused serious damage to the wheat crop and the growers already confined to their homes because of the coronavirus had suffered heavy financial losses, warning that the situation could develop a serious food crisis next year. Under the circumstances, he said, it was the government duty to pay immediate attention to the farmers’ problems. He said that the wheat growers should also be protected against the middle man and wheat should be procured directly from the growers at the Union Council level.

Meanwhile, JI Secretary General Amirul Azeem, talking to media while monitoring the anti-corona spray carried out by JI workers in city, and meeting Al-Khidmat Foundation Punjab president Ikramul Haq, said that JI and Al-Khidmat workers and volunteers had been at war with the coronavirus from the very first day and had been serving the affectees irrespective of political considerations.

He said that the national institutions, the public at large, the media and the social circles duly acknowledged the JI’s services and the al-Khidmat Foundation. He was confident that the nation would win the war against the deadly virus with the blessing of Almighty Allah.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, the JI central Punjab ameer Javed Kasuri appealed the philanthropists to donate to the JI and Al-Khidmat Foundation so that the deserving families could be provided help at their doorsteps.