Pakistan Kissan Ittehad has appealed to Army Chief General Asim Munir to play his role in revitalising agriculture in the country.

In a press conference held in Lahore on Sunday, PKI President Khalid Khokhar said that in addition to securing the country’s borders, the army should take charge of ensuring food security as well.

“Pakistan should be self-sufficient in all kinds of food,” Khokhar said.

He added that currently there is virtually zero money going towards agricultural research in the country. He also claimed that people who worked as researchers for cotton and other crops were fighting to get their salaries released for the last nine months.

He also said that the removal of subsidies from electricity had raised costs for farmers, while absence of research and investment and disproportionate use of fertilisers meant that agricultural practices in the country have become stagnant.

Khokhar said that the army is already ‘aiding’ farmers in Balochistan so it would be best if the army chief came forward in support of farmers throughout the country.