Farmers protest snatching of lands.

HYDERABAD -- Activists of the Sindh Hari Committee observed a hunger strike and held a sit-in outside local press club on Monday against snatching of small farmers' lands through unlawful and coercive acts allegedly by influential figures within the Sindh government.

The protest was organised and by Communist Party Pakistan and led by its leader, Comrade Imdad Kazi.

Mr Kazi told reporters that excesses against small farmers had been continuing for about 12 years. They are being forced to give up their lands in Tando Ghulam Ali and Tando Allahyar and leave. In order to exert pressure on them, water supply to their lands has been suspended to turn their lands barren. He said that the oppressed farmers were now facing miserable conditions.

Speaking on their behalf, Mr Kazi said that land revenue records were manipulated to dispossess the farmers.

He recalled that 284 acres of land in Chambar taluka was auctioned by a bank in 1982 and farmers purchased it. The bank transferred the land in their names entries...