The Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Tehreek has strongly opposed the recent increases in power tariffs and petroleum product prices, asserting that these hikes will exacerbate the ongoing economic hardship faced by impoverished farmers and industrial laborers.
During a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Fayyaz Khan, the provincial coordinator of the Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Tehreek, expressed deep concerns about the adverse impact of inflation on landless farmers and industrial workers. He lamented the government’s inability to provide any relief to these vulnerable groups.
Accompanied by a group of farmers and Tehreek members, Khan emphasized that the impoverished segments of society have no recourse but to voice their grievances through protests and hunger strike camps nationwide.
Khan called upon the government to reject all capitalist, feudal, and imperialist policies and the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He warned that without a change in approach, the situation would continue to deteriorate, and the authorities would struggle to maintain control.
In lieu of imposing taxes on the poor, Khan urged the government to implement an agricultural tax on landlords and individuals owning more than 150 acres of land.
Additionally, he advocated for taxing real estate and ensuring the inclusion of farmers and laborers in the decision-making process. These steps, he argued, are essential to steer the country away from crisis and onto a path of development.
Khan attributed the prevailing poverty, unemployment, and inflation to flawed government policies. He pointed out that IMF conditions had forced farmers to abandon their agricultural pursuits, contributing to the energy crisis in the country.
The soaring prices of food and other essential goods, he added, had pushed the working class to the brink, resulting in a mass rural-to-urban migration. He urged the government to involve farmers and laborers in the decision-making process and policy formulation to expedite the nation’s recovery from its economic woes.