Islamabad, 16 Apr 2025: Punjab Farmers Protest has erupted across the province as cultivators express outrage over Wheat Price Injustice and flawed procurement mechanisms that threaten their financial survival.
Farmers Demand Fair Compensation amid Soaring Costs
Agricultural workers from various regions including Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Sargodha, and Dera Ghazi Khan have taken to the streets in an outcry against the current wheat support pricing.
Demonstrators are calling for the government to fix the wheat minimum procurement price between Rs. 4,500 and Rs. 4,700 per 40 kilograms, aligning it with actual production costs and inflation.
READ MORE:
Wheat Harvest Brings Price Crash Amidst Govt Withdrawal
At present, the market prices hover between Rs. 2,200 and Rs. 2,500, rendering it nearly impossible for farmers to even recover basic input expenses such as seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and labor wages.
Farmers Drowning in Debt
“We had no option but to take loans for cultivating wheat. Now we can’t even break even,” lamented Muhammad Ashraf, a distressed farmer from Sheikhupura.
His story mirrors the plight of thousands across the province, trapped in a cycle of debt and despair due to the government’s indifferent pricing policies.
Protests Intensify Across Punjab
In Rahim Yar Khan, activists from the Kissan Board Pakistan staged demonstrations outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, denouncing the state’s complete failure to purchase wheat or set equitable prices.
Similar gatherings erupted in Sahiwal and Sargodha, where protesters threatened to launch indefinite sit-ins across Punjab if immediate steps are not taken.
The situation turned tense in Hafizabad, where police forces dismantled makeshift protest camps, injuring multiple participants and arresting four individuals after forceful baton charges.
The aggressive response further inflamed sentiments among the farming community.
Direct Appeals to Leadership
Farmers are now placing direct appeals before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, urging them to step in before the agitation escalates into a full-scale movement.
READ MORE:
Punjab’s Latest Policy Allows Wheat Farmers to Determine Prices
Demonstrators have issued a stark warning: if no action is taken, they will block the movement of agricultural goods and march toward Islamabad, taking the protest to the federal level.
A Fight for Survival
This Punjab Farmers Protest is not merely about pricing, it’s about survival, dignity, and justice. The Wheat Price Injustice faced by growers has exposed deep-rooted flaws in agricultural governance.
