LAHORE: Police detained over 250 protesting farmers after severely beating many of them outside the press club here on Wednesday.
Hundreds of farmers were holding a peaceful demonstration against denial of permission to hold a convention at Nasser Bagh in protest against overbilling for agriculture tube-wells and increasing prices of fertiliser and pesticides.
The ‘arrested’ farmers were taken to various police stations but no case was lodged against them till late in the evening and the Punjab chief minister ordered their release.
The protesting farmers were led by office-bearers of the Pakistan Kisan Ittehad (PKI).
A large number of personnel from various police stations arrived during the farmers’ protest and thrashed dozens of them.
According to witnesses, the situation remained tense after the police bundled the PKI’s office-bearers and other farmers into prison vans. They said the police then resorted to baton-charge, leaving some farmers injured.
PKI chairman Chaudhry Anwar told reporters that the demands of the farmers were genuine. “We want to hold a peaceful farmers’ convention in the city.”
Permission denied to hold a convention at Nasser Bagh against overbilling for agriculture tube-wells and increasing prices of farm inputs
He said farmers were raising slogans against the government for not allowing them to hold the event when police started beating them with clubs.
“Police arrested more than 250 farmers and took them to the Qila Gujjar Singh, Racecourse, Anarkali, Ghari Shahu and Civil Lines police stations,” he said.
He termed the police action aggressive and said the arrest reflected the Punjab government’s cruel policy towards the poor.
BLOCKADE: Late in the night, a heavy contingent of police blocked the Multan Road to stop farmers from entering the provincial capital to protest against the arrests.
Deputy Inspector General Haider Ashraf led the policemen who placed containers on the road after reports that hundreds of farmers had started marching towards Lahore from Okara and other districts.
A large number of police officers were present to cope with any law and order situation.
According to sources, the DIG put the police on alert with a strict message that no farmer should be allowed to enter the city.
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