Multan: At a convention organized by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a coalition of agricultural workers, farmers, and rights activists from South Punjab convened to address climate change, land rights, and the systemic exclusion of women and minority communities from agricultural decision-making.

Speakers at the event emphasized the severe impacts of climate change on Pakistan’s agricultural sector, noting that erratic weather patterns and reduced water availability are disrupting crop cycles. Lubna Nadeem, a member of the HRCP Council, highlighted that women agricultural workers are disproportionately affected by these challenges and remain unprotected by existing labor laws.

Land rights emerged as a core issue at the convention. Allah Rakha, leader of the Cholistan Bachao Tehreek, criticized the displacement of indigenous farmers in the region. Despite previous efforts by HRCP to secure land for thousands of people, speakers like Rafi Shankar and Saleem Channan reported ongoing threats of eviction for long-established farming families in Kot Addu.

Participants voiced strong opposition to corporate farming practices that displace local farmers. Mahar Ghulam Abbas Sial of Anjuman Tehreek Kissan, Bhakkar, denounced the leasing of ancestral lands to large corporations. He argued that food security should take precedence over corporate interests. Rana Muhammad Saleem from Arif Wala added that these projects have led to illegal deforestation and harmed local livelihoods.

Concerns about the exclusion of women and minorities from agricultural policymaking were also raised. Alisha Nayab, a rights activist, called for extending labor rights and land benefits to women and Christian workers. She stressed that despite their contributions, women remain unrecognized by the law. Members of the transgender community also demanded a voice in policy discussions, while Aqeela Naz from Khanewal called for the establishment of ‘Women Agricultural Workers’ Day’ and the inclusion of women in policy roles.

The convention concluded with a charter of demands. Key demands included enforcing minimum wage laws for agricultural workers, recognizing women and minorities as agricultural workers, halting corporate land takeovers, and granting land rights to long-term cultivators. There were also calls for redistributing state land to landless farmers, ensuring equal ownership for women.

Father Maqsood, a rights activist, encapsulated the sentiment of the gathering: ‘We are not seeking sympathy. We are demanding justice.’