Talking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad Senior Vice-President Chaudhry Khalid Hussain Batth said that floods have already wreaked havoc on farmers and in such a situation, they could not pay the exorbitant and inflated electricity bills. The farmers, who spoke to The Express Tribune, threatened to march on the D-Chowk and Parliament House in the next 36 hours if their genuine demands were not met. The farmers, who have been protesting against the high cost of electricity and fertilisers, reached the federal capital after crossing multiple barriers and obstacles that were placed to stop them from marching on the red zone and the Parliament House. Security around the protest area has also been tightened by deploying police personnel in riot gear as farmers laid siege to several roads including a portion of the Islamabad Expressway. The farmers, under the banner of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, were demanding that the government guarantee a minimum support price for all produce and clear all farmer debts, among other things, besides taking back inflated electricity bills containing various and heavy taxes. The Islamabad Expressway and the main Blue Area Road towards D-Chok and Faisal Mosque have been blocked by protesters while traffic has been diverted towards alternate roads, forcing motorists and commuters to meander through narrow and choked streets and alleys where unending snarl-ups have become commonplace. On the other hand, police and the local administration have also placed barricades and containers around the protest venue, forcing motorists and commuters to use alternate routes to reach their destinations.
The farmers, who have gathered to protest against what they said were unfulfilled promises by the government, have blocked all entry and exit points at the Blue Area underpass by parking large and minibuses and tankers. Scores of farmers from across the country continue to lay siege to the main road in Islamabad’s financial hub, Blue Area, for the sixth consecutive day as several rounds of negotiations between the growers and the government have failed to yield results.
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