Dozens of wheat growers arrested to prevent protest outside Punjab Assembly
Pakistan
Kissan Board Punjab head Rashid Minhala and officials of district bodies have been held
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Farmers will begin protest outside the Punjab Assembly against the government failure to procure wheat at 2pm on Monday (today).
As the Kissan Ittehad Pakistan announced its plan to launch a protest drive, the Punjab government has devised a plan to stop farmers from reaching the provincial capital.
It is reported that heavy contingents of police have been deployed on the motorway and roads leading into Lahore, who have arrested a number of farmers.
Kissan Ittehad Pakistan General Secretary Mian Umair confirmed that the government had blocked the interchanges of the motorways. More than 12 buses carrying farmers had been stopped and the occupants arrested, he added.
He said Kissan Board Punjab President Rashid Minhala had already been arrested.
Meanwhile, the district presidents and officials of many districts, including Chiniot and Kasur, were arrested on Sunday night.
PTI, SIC JOIN FARMERS
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), in the meantime, have decided to join farmers' protest. SIC chief whip Rana Shehbaz assured farmers of the opposition’s support in their just cause.
He said the government was neither buying wheat nor following the suggestions of the House, but arresting farmers.
