Lahore

Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, the Governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, has slammed the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government for applying force against farmers and conducting raids at their houses to collect electricity bills.

"It is unacceptable to lower food prices in cities by depriving farmers of their livelihood," Khan said during a meeting with an 80-member delegation from different farmer organisations that called on him at the Governor House in Lahore.

The Governor's strong reaction came after the government used security forces, including Pakistani Rangers, for collection of electricity bills from villages. Several First Information Reports (FIRs) were also registered against the farmers for resisting mistreatment by the security personnel.

Governor Punjab announced the formation of a three-member special committee that will work as a bridge of communication between the federal government and the farmers.

The farmers' delegation included members from the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad (PKI) and members of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) South Punjab. They shared their concerns over increasing challenges and the ongoing crisis in the agricultural sector, coupled with government policies and rising inflation that has made it extremely difficult for them to sustain their livelihoods.

The farmers criticised the government for introducing "anti-agriculture" policies which have a direct negative impact on the interests of the farming community. They demanded immediate reforms to safeguard their benefits.

They stated that increase in cost of fertilizers, agricultural chemicals and seeds, along with overcharged electricity bills, have forced small-scale farmers on the brink of a complete financial collapse.

The Governor assured that his party (PPP) would not never abandon the farmers and would address their concerns at the highest level.

“PPP will not abandon farmers. The unjust actions against them, including forced collection of electricity bills and raids on their homes, will be addressed at the highest level," he said.

Analysts believe that the farmers' issue is expected to become a major political issue between the PPP and the PML-N in the coming days.

Governor Punjab belongs to PPP and his criticism of the PML-N government on the issue of farmers opens new challenges between the two parties, who are part of the coalition setup in the federal government.

"Meeting of farmers with the Governor of Punjab should be a concerning issue for Punjab Chief Minister Maryum Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. PPP is now openly slamming the federal government on many issues, including the water supply and share matter in Sindh," said political analyst Javed Chaudhry.

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"PPP has maintained distance from the cabinet and also decision-making of the PML-N government. Its now evident that PPP will try to utilise the farmers' issue along with other policy issues it has with the Shehbaz Sharif government to build a political narrative that would highlight PPP as a voice of the people and establish its open opposition to the government's policies," he added.