Farmers from Swat stage protest in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The activists of Awami Workers Party Pakistan and All Farmers Committee Swat on Tuesday asked the provincial government to take note of declaring their farm lands as property of Forest Department in Malakand division.

They also demanded the government to allow the locals graze their cattle head in the meadows and collect firewood in forests in Malakand.The activists of Awami Workers Party and All Farmers Committee, Swat, gathered outside the building of the Peshawar Press Club. They staged a protest against the registration of their land as property of Forest Department and favour of their demands.

They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans to demand Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to intervene in the matter.Awami Workers Party Pakistan head Fanoos Gujjar, president of the farmers committee Manshoor Ali and others were leading the protesters.

The speakers said that the private land of farmers was mistakenly registered as forest land in the 70s. They said the owners used to cultivate these lands for decades to make a living and constructed houses there as well.

The speakers said the Forest Department vacated such lands which created unrest among the owners. They demanded the government to form a commission to identify the land belonged to locals and return the same to owners or lese they would launch a protest campaign.The protesters called for lifting the ban on grazing cattle head in meadows and collecting firewood from the local forests.