Imran govt imposes taxes on agri sector, farmers in Pak to take to streets next week

Farmers in Pakistan have announced to take to streets next week as the Imran Khan government imposed taxes on the agriculture sector, rising prices of fertilisers and other farm inputs, reported local media.

Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) activists, along with their children, livestock and poultry will protest on February 14 in Multan against the imposition of taxes on the agriculture sector, costlier fertiliser and other farm inputs, reported Dawn.

The protest is being called 'Speechless Animals and Helpless Farmers' by the farmers association. The PKI has vowed to take the protest to other districts of the province and later move towards the federal capital.

PKI chief Khalid Mahmood Khokhar said that the farmer next week on Monday will be mourning to save the future of their children, coming generations and the economy of their beloved motherland.

Khokhar also said that the representatives of the farmers held a series of meetings with the government authorities to protest a 17 per cent general sales tax on farm produce.

They also opposed 3 per cent GST on seeds, high rates of electricity billing for tubewells, manifold increase in diesel and fertiliser prices in the wake of Supplementary Finance Bill 2021 but to no avail as they were told the steps were being taken on IMF directions.

Farmers argue that as they have never benefited from the loans and borrowings by the government from the IMF, why they are forced to pay high taxes on seeds, electricity and diesel as per demands of international money lenders, according to Dawn.

(ANI)

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