Farmers demand Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz resign, threaten nationwide 'Million March' if not met.

The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has demanded the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and has warned of a historic, nationwide ‘Million March’ on Rawalpindi beginning on September 25 if the demand is not met. At a press conference in Lahore, PKI President Mian Umair Masood and Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth explained that farmers would face total devastation if the incumbent chief minister remains in office for another two and a half years. They clarified that the PKI holds no enmity toward the ruling Pakistan Muslim League‑Nawaz (PML‑N) party, but seeks only Maryam Nawaz’s resignation, accusing her of lacking political acumen and of treating agricultural projects as contracts for the favoured few. The PKI leadership described a grim picture of the agrarian economy, alleging that farmers have suffered a loss of Rs2,200 billion because the provincial government refused to procure wheat. They condemned the federal decision to import 3.5 million tonnes of wheat precisely when the local crop was ready for harvest. Additional losses were highlighted. Potato farmers face deficits of Rs250,000 per acre, while cotton yields have fallen from 60 maunds to only 12 maunds per acre. Agricultural input costs have risen sharply: a bag of DAP fertiliser increased from Rs2,400 in 2016 to Rs16,600; urea prices rose from Rs1,200 to Rs4,600; and tube‑well electricity tariffs jumped from Rs5 to Rs40 per unit. The PKI also accused the fertilizer subsidy program of departmental corruption. Challenging provincial officials, Batth criticised the bureaucracy and government spokespeople Azma Bokhari and Salma Butt, saying they lack understanding of agriculture. He disputed the Punjab government’s claim of a 21.9‑million‑tonne wheat yield, asserting the actual production did not exceed 15 million tonnes. He also raised concerns about police raids on poor farmers and the lack of action against industrial defaults such as those by Ramzan Sugar Mills over unpaid sugarcane dues. PKI President Masood warned that if the PML‑N fails to act, the rural electorate will remember these actions and that the farming community, having lost faith in civilian leadership, is now preparing to bring their appeal directly to military leadership in Rawalpindi.