Pakistan: Farmers protest government's decision to acquire land for industrial purposes

Many farmers in Gujrat city of Pakistan's Punjab province have lodged a strong protest on Friday saying that the government is trying to "snatch" their fertile lands for industrial purposes.

The farmers held protests when the government decided to acquire land in three villages for the establishment of Phase II of the industrial estate in the district, reported Dawn.

Notably, the Punjab government had approved the scheme and allocated at least PKR 1.3 billion for the project, out of which Rs 400 million has been sanctioned in the current development budget.

During the protest, the farmers displayed banners with anti-government slogans. They criticized the government's acquisition of agricultural land for the purpose.

A huge chunk of land from three villages -- Saroki, Chak Qazian and Sheikh Qureshian-- has been identified by the local administration for the establishment of Phase-II of the industrial estate, reported the newspaper.

The protesting farmers gathered near Saroki bridge on the Upper Jhelum Canal to show their disappointment. Not only this, the protest saw support from Pakistan's opposition party Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as well.

A delegation of the PPP led by former federal minister Qamar Zaman Kaira also joined the protesters to show their support to the protesting farmers.

PPP promised the farmers they would resist this move by the government and will take the issue to every forum, including the assemblies and also move the court.

Sufficient land was available for the project in the Mehsam area on Gujrat city outskirts that was closer to the Sambrial-Kharian motorway and Sialkot International Airport, yet the land of the farmers was identified by the project, said the PPP leader.

He also accused the government saying that under the garb of industrial areas, the government is aiming to develop a housing society in the area. However, all of this was rejected by a senior district administration official, reported the newspaper.

The proposed site for the industrial estate's Phase-II was also visited by former Punjab finance minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira, local PPP leader Mian Fakhar Mushtaq Pagganwala, district general secretary Dr Zahid Zaheer and scores of party workers.

( With inputs from ANI )

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