Kisan Ittehad postpones Islamabad long march after talks with Balochistan govt

QUETTA: Pakistan Kisan Ittehad on Friday postponed its planned long march from Quetta to Islamabad after successful talks with the Balochistan government, which assured the farmers’ group that its demands would be addressed.

According to Balochistan Home Department Adviser Babar Yousafzai, a government delegation led by Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jattak met Kisan Ittehad President Khalid Hussain Bath. Member of the Balochistan Assembly Mir Janzaib Mengal also attended the meeting.

Yousafzai said that the government delegation assured the farmers’ representatives that their demands would be addressed.

Following the assurances, Bath accepted the government’s commitment and announced the postponement of the long march.

He said that the decision was taken at the request of the Balochistan government and in view of the prevailing national situation and law and order concerns.

Kisan Ittehad had began the long march from Quetta Press Club at 3pm on Friday, with thousands of farmers from Balochistan taking part. The group had planned to proceed towards Islamabad to press for its demands.

The farmers’ group had cited a range of agriculture-related grievances, including concerns over wheat procurement and prices, rising input costs and government policies affecting the farming sector.

Bath had also called for action on farmers’ issues and criticised policies that he said had worsened their difficulties.

The government’s decision to engage the Kisan Ittehad followed efforts to open talks with groups that had announced protests and long marches towards Islamabad.

Earlier this month, the federal government had said it would engage the farmers’ alliance over its planned Sept 25 march.