‘AMP has no hidden agenda’: Tenants seek dialogue with Punjab govt

LAHORE, March 29: The Anjuman Mazareen Punjab (AMP) has invited the provincial government to a meaningful dialogue with thousands of tenants seeking ownership rights of the land they have been cultivating for over a century. "We hope the Punjab government will accept our proposal to hold talks with the AMP leadership to resolve the issue within a short span of time," David Rehmat, the Anjuman information secretary, said at a press conference held here at the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday. Flanked by other AMP leaders Younas Iqbal, Munawar Bibi and civil society representatives Khawar Mumtaz, Rubina Jamil, Muhammad Tehseen, Irfan Mufti, Masood Malik, Comrade Irfan and others, he said more than 12,000 tenants had made cultivable as many as 70,000 acres of barren state land with massive hard work. "But the Punjab government, despite its promise, is avoiding to give ownership rights to tenants for unknown reasons," Rehmat said. He said if Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif could allot state land to agriculture graduates and announce 25 acres for each player of the national cricket team if they beat India, then why he is denying ownership rights to tenants who were cultivating this land for more than 100 years. He warned the tenants would launch an organised movement against both the Punjab and the federal governments in case their genuine demands were not fulfilled soon. "We are just fighting for our rights and have no hidden agenda to defame or destabilise the government," he added. He condemned what he called a brutal police assault on the protesting tenants in Khanewal and Okara and registration of criminal cases against the AMP leaders, saying such acts were against democratic norms. He said as the 'attacking' police officials damaged nearly 50 motorbikes, 15 tractor-trolleys, 10 buses and eight wagons in a bid to stop the tenants' 'long march' in Khanewal on March 28 (Monday), the Punjab government should immediately pay damages to the AMP leadership in this regard. Mr Rehmat vowed the protesting tenants would stick to their slogan 'Ownership or Death' till the acceptance of their demands. On this occasion, Ms Rubina Jamil, Ms Khawar Mumtaz and Irfan Mufti of All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Shirkat Gah and South Asia Partnership-Pakistan representatives announced their support to the AMP movement.