Zain ul Abideen Abid
A few days ago, the Chief Minister of Punjab launched a 400 billion rupee project for the farmers in Punjab’s Hafizabad district. According to government statistics, ten projects for farmers have been made functional in a record time of just six months. A spokesperson for the Punjab government stated that, for the first time in Pakistan’s history, the Chief Minister of Punjab has introduced the “Kisan Card” worth 150 billion rupees. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif launched the Kisan Card in Punjab in record time and announced an increase in the number of Kisan Cards from 500,000 to 750,000. Furthermore, it was announced that farmers cultivating wheat on 12.5 to 25 acres would be given free laser levelers, and those cultivating over 25 acres would receive free tractors. A project to provide agricultural machinery to farmers on a no-profit rental basis was also introduced, with an increase in the number of Kisan Card dealers to 3,000. According to the National Food and Security, Pakistan requires an average of 31 million metric tons of wheat annually.
However, the incentives and promises made by the government to farmers often seem dubious, as they usually aim to provide short-term benefits while ultimately harming farmers in the long run. This year, while the government announced benefits for wheat sowing, it chose not to buy wheat from farmers, claiming they had sufficient reserves from imports ordered just as the local harvest was ready. Farmers were forced to sell their 100-kilogram wheat sacks at 6,200 rupees, again incurring a deliberate financial loss. This government action further destabilized farmers’ economic condition, increasing their financial burdens.
Farmers have come to realize that the government’s promises are merely words, with no positive impact on their lives. These actions have led to a growing sense of distrust among farmers, as they are now certain that the government has no genuine intent to improve their livelihoods.
It hasn’t been long since the current government’s wheat procurement turned into a scandal. The most alarming aspect of this scandal was that, during the caretaker government in October, a decision was made to import over 3 million tons of wheat instead of the initially planned 1 million tons. This decision was deliberately made by the government to benefit a select few individuals, or else they were unaware that the upcoming wheat crop would exceed expectations. Consequently, local farmers suffered as a result of these imports.
Although the government announced an official price for the new wheat crop in advance (set at 3,900 rupees per maund), they did not inform farmers that, unlike last year, the government would only procure a maximum of 2.5 million tons of wheat, rather than 4 million tons. As a result, farmers did not receive fair prices for their wheat in 2024, as those in power are themselves traders and industrialists. They cleverly buy crops from farmers at low rates and then sell them at high prices.
If it wasn’t a wheat crisis, it would have been a scandal involving the prices of sugar, cotton, gas, or electricity. It seems impossible for a year to pass without a mega crisis, where billions are funnelled from the pockets of millions into the hands of a few.
Perhaps, instead of democracy, a kleptocratic system is actually in place in our country, though the rulers have kept us unaware of it. Votes are taken in the name of democracy, but the government is formed by kleptocrats. Kleptocracy is a form of government or social system in which thieves, corrupt individuals, and criminals rule. In such societies, the ruling and powerful classes exploit the nation’s resources and public wealth for their own personal gain. Government officials and authorities in kleptocracies misuse their powers to amass wealth illegally, leading to the concentration of the country’s assets in the hands of a few, while the general population suffers from poverty and hardships. In these societies, the rule of law is weak, and the justice system is fragile, causing the public to lose trust in the government.
Currently, a kleptocratic system is prevalent in Pakistan, where farmers are merely used as fuel for the economy. They are viewed as sources of cheap labour and production assets, and they do not receive fair compensation or appropriate prices for their hard work. Claims by the government about providing aid or incentives to farmers are often just for show, aimed at temporarily appeasing or pacifying them. For example, setting extremely low prices for wheat or other crops, followed by claims of protecting farmers’ interests, is actually a method of economic exploitation.
In this system, farmers are forced to buy fertilizers, seeds, and other agricultural necessities at high prices, while they receive low prices for their produce. Subsidies and government aid also remain limited to powerful and influential individuals, leaving small and ordinary farmers deprived of these facilities. Due to these challenges, farmers fall into debt and experience worsening financial conditions.
In a kleptocracy, there is no genuine intent on the part of the rulers to address the issues faced by farmers. The voices of farmers are suppressed, and there is neither strong legislation nor a justice system to protect their rights. As a result, farmers remain in despair and hardship, struggling to meet their basic needs. In such a system, farmers suffer not only economically but also socially. Their lives become a continuous struggle, with little hope of prosperity or improvement in sight.
Writer is senior analyst He can be reached at [email protected]
