LAHORE, Aug. 10 (Alliance News): Pakistan Farmers Union Chairman Khalid Hussain Bath on Monday demanded the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, warning that the organisation would launch a nationwide protest movement if she remained in office.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bath said the farmers’ body was not opposed to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government but believed that the Punjab chief minister should step down over what he described as policies that had adversely affected the farming community.
“We are not against the PML-N government. Our demand is only that Maryam Nawaz should resign,” he said.
Bath warned that if the chief minister did not step down, the Pakistan Farmers Union would begin countrywide protests from September 25.
He said farmers from Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would participate in the protest campaign, adding that demonstrators would also converge on Rawalpindi as part of the movement.
“The Pakistan Farmers Union will go to every extent to secure Maryam Nawaz’s resignation,” he said.
The farmers’ leader claimed that agricultural producers continued to face serious financial difficulties, alleging that many sugarcane growers had not received payments for their crops.
He also alleged that raids were being conducted on farmers’ homes and questioned whether similar action would be taken against sugar mills, including Ramzan Sugar Mills.
Bath said the farming community had been compelled to demand the Punjab chief minister’s resignation because of what he termed inadequate support for the agriculture sector.
He further alleged that development projects undertaken by the provincial government primarily benefited contractors rather than ordinary citizens and farmers.
Criticising the provincial administration, Bath claimed that Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari and other officials lacked sufficient understanding of agricultural issues.
He also alleged that the government had neglected the development needs of South Punjab, saying farmers in the region continued to face multiple economic and infrastructure challenges.
Bath announced that the Pakistan Farmers Union would expand its role in national politics and warned that he would seek legal action against anyone using the slogan “Jaag Punjabi Jaag.”
The Punjab government had not immediately responded to the allegations or the demand for the chief minister’s resignation.
