Farmers refuse to budge as talks with govt fail to make headway

Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Farmers who had arrived in the capital on Wednesday to get their demands accepted have refused to budge from their stance, as the third round of negotiation between the government and the protesters ended in stalemate.
The Kissan Ittehad comprising farmers from across Punjab, has demanded the restoration of the previous tubewell electricity tariff of Rs5.3 per unit and the removal of taxes and adjustments among other things.
According to the farmers, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah used ‘threatening language’ during the talks and told them that the government would not let the protesters move towards the Red Zone at any cost.
Talking to the reporters, the interior minister said a cabinet committee was working on the issue of reducing electricity bills for the agricultural tubewells. He added that the panel would meet again on Monday to examine the proposals in this regard.