Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Central Information Secretary Shazia Marri warned on Friday that neglecting the country’s farmers would harm the nation as a whole, not just any single government.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, she underscored the PPP’s continued focus on agriculture, public health, and national unity against terrorism.
Marri praised the Sindh Chief Minister’s leadership in highlighting the ongoing polio eradication campaign, calling the poliovirus ‘a major enemy of our children.’ She welcomed the Chief Minister’s appeal to media owners for support in amplifying the vaccination drive and reiterated the need to eliminate polio from Pakistan once and for all.
On agriculture, Marri said that Pakistan’s farmers are the backbone of the nation, and empowering them is essential for national strength. She recalled President Asif Ali Zardari’s long-standing emphasis on strengthening the agriculture sector and reiterated Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s consistent advocacy for farmer empowerment.
Highlighting the government’s recent steps that reflected the PPP’s demands, Marri welcomed the decision to allow wheat procurement and to approve a support price, though she noted it was PKR 500 less than the party had sought. She further pointed out that, following the PPP’s push, the income tax rate on farmers was reduced from 45% to 15% for the current year.
Marri defended the PPP’s track record under President Zardari, noting that during the party’s previous tenure, Pakistan moved from a wheat shortage to a surplus within a year. She stressed that major national development plans, such as the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), should not be framed behind closed doors and said the federal government had assured the PPP that its concerns would be addressed.
Responding to a question about bans on political parties, Marri said she does not support banning political organisations, but added that any entity harming national interests or creating instability could face legal action under the law. She reiterated Chairman Bilawal’s stance that political parties must focus on serving the people rather than destabilising the system.
She concluded by calling for collective action against poverty, inflation, and terrorism. She praised the security forces for their sacrifices and reaffirmed that, with unity and determination, Pakistan would defeat those ‘proxy-funded elements’ seeking to destabilise the country.