PM directs to file petition in SC against suspension of Kisaan package’s provisions

Lahore: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the Attorney General to file a petition in Supreme Court against the suspension of certain provisions to facilitate farmers under the Kisaan package after the Election Commission’s decision.

Chairing a meeting on the issues faced by the agricultural sector and facilitation to farmers, the Prime Minister said the Kisaan package was for the farmers of entire nation and not specific to any region.

The Prime Minister said the farmer community in country was suffering due to non-implementation of Kisaan package and added that it was the right of all farmers across the board. He said the government was working to protect farmers’ rights without any political or regional bias.

The Prime Minister also in-principle approved the establishment of Agricultural Research Endowment Fund for enhancing research on agriculture to maximize produce of crops.

The Prime Minister was briefed that the demand and prices of Pakistan’s Agricultural commodities fell sharply in the international commodity market in the last two years and the loss of production was also recorded because of environmental stress.

He was apprised that these conditions caused great unrest amongst the farming community who were demanding the government’s support.

The Prime Minister was briefed that the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research undertook consultations with the relevant stakeholders and all the provincial governments.

Subsequently, under the supervision of the Prime Minister, Kisaan package was announced as a relief package for the farming community of the country.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar apprised that the provisions of the Kisaan package were already part of the Budget Speech for 2015-16, which could be confirmed from his budget speech and concluding speech of the budget session.

Moreover, the support measures of Rs. 5,000 per acre to the farmers to the extent of 12.5 acres, 2 percent reduction in rate of interest for rice and cotton growers and rise from Rs. 2,000 to Rs.4,000 in Production Index Units (PIU) of agricultural land included in the Kisaan package are genuine demands of the farmers and are applicable to the entire country.

The meeting was attended by Attorney General of Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt, Special Assistant to PM Ashtar Ausaf Ali and other senior officers.