Pakistan: Nationwide agitation erupts as farmers oppose corporate farming push
Islamabad, April 18
Protests swept across more than 100 cities in Pakistan on Friday after the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee issued a nationwide call to mark the International Day of Peasant Struggles, as reported by Dawn.
According to the Pakistani media outlet, farmers mobilised in large numbers to oppose what they described as anti-farmer policies and to demand urgent reforms to protect their livelihoods.
Dawn reported that protesters called for fixing the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at PKR 4,000 per maund. They rejected corporate farming practices and demanded the withdrawal of eviction notices issued to tenant farmers. The report further noted that demonstrators opposed the government's plan to outsource wheat procurement to 11 private firms, warning that such a move would marginalise small growers.
The news outlet reported that large-scale protests were witnessed across Punjab, including in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, and Sargodha. In Sindh, demonstrations were held in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Thatta, reflecting widespread discontent, the report added.
According to Dawn, rallies were also organised in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cities such as Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, and Bannu, while in Balochistan, protests were reported in Quetta, Mastung, and Kalat. The coverage highlighted a growing nationwide mobilisation among farmers.
Addressing a gathering in Lahore, PKRC General Secretary Riffat Maqsood criticised the government's performance, stating that its two-year tenure had been "highly damaging" for farmers. As cited by the media outlet, she accused authorities of neglecting rural communities and prioritising corporate interests over small-scale cultivators.
Farmer groups warned, as highlighted in the report, that continued inaction could deepen the agrarian crisis and trigger more intense protests in the coming months. The coverage underscored rising frustration among Pakistan's farming community, which continues to grapple with escalating input costs, unstable crop prices, and climate-related challenges.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Very sad to see. The situation sounds exactly like what was happening here a few years ago. MSP, corporate farming, evictions... the playbook is the same everywhere. I hope their government listens before things escalate further. Small farmers need protection, not exploitation.
Outsourcing wheat procurement to private firms is a terrible idea. It will destroy the local mandi system and leave farmers at the mercy of big companies who only care about the bottom line. We must learn from each other's experiences in South Asia.
While I sympathize with the farmers' plight, I hope the protests remain peaceful. Agitation in over 100 cities can easily disrupt essential supplies and hurt the very communities they are part of. There has to be a dialogue.
Climate challenges, rising costs, and now this... it's a perfect storm for farmers. This is a wake-up call for all governments in the region. Food security is national security. You cannot ignore the annadata.
The report says the protests are for the "International Day of Peasant Struggles". It's a global issue then. Maybe instead of always seeing each other as rivals, Indian and Pakistani farmers' groups could share strategies and support. Just a thought.
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