PESHAWAR
Chairman, Amun Taraqqi Party (ATP) Muhammad Faiq Shah said torrential rains and hailstorms, that started from last week ‘wreaked havoc’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country, destroying large-scale standing crops, demanding of the government to announce special compensation package for farming community.
Speaking to activists of Mazdoor Kissan Alliance, and growers and representatives of relevant stakeholders during a meeting held here at party main office on Tuesday, Shah said the heavy downpour and hailstorm had caused serious damage to wheat and Kharif crops while also damaging fruit orchards in different districts.
He demanded the government to announce special compensation for farmers over mass-scale crop loss.
Faiq said Pakistan has confronted potential threats of food security since the occurrence of the devastating flash floods, torrential rains and hailstorm.
He noted that food prices have substantially increased owing to a visible gap between supply and demand.
Essential items are completely out of the purchasing power of common people, he added. He said food inflation is a serious challenge which should be addressed by applying a holistic strategy.
The ATP chairman demanded enforcement of emergency for a decade to secure agricultural production, utilizing modern technology and in the field of education, skilling development and training so that dragon that has been creating problems of food for more than 230million population of the country to be ejected.
The party chief urged all stakeholders to make prompt decisions for nation building and the future of the country.
He added youths and natural reserves are the main source of the country’s development, which should be exploited in an efficient manner. Whether there are water reservoirs or exploration of oil and gas reserves, concrete planning should be made to make Pakistan financially self-reliant and bring sustainable progress and development, Shah stressed.
Faiq said reduction in production of wheat, fruits and agriculture products was due to ill-attention of the all governments, calling it as criminal negligence of the rulers and policymakers, which is unpardonable.
Agricultural yields are reducing every year as compared to the preceding period, the ATP chief noted.
He condemned the building of housing societies on agricultural lands throughout the country.
Cultivable lands have been deliberately made futile by raising high plazas and buildings, he added.
