LARKANA, November 10: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the direct cash transfer initiative under the Sindh Government’s Wheat Growers Support Programme 2025 — a revolutionary and pioneering milestone in the country’s history — enabling farmers to purchase DAP and urea fertilizers through the Benazir Hari Card.
According to the press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, the PPP Chairman said that the PPP believes that when the farmer prospers, the nation prospers. “Our vision is to ensure that farmers and small growers are not burdened with the cost of purchasing DAP and urea,” he said. He added that, on his instructions, the Chief Minister of Sindh and his team have devised a comprehensive plan to provide financial assistance to farmers and small cultivators across the province for the purchase of DAP and urea fertilizers. Addressing the Benazir Hari Card holders present at the ceremony, he announced that the financial assistance for purchasing DAP and urea has now been directly transferred to their accounts.
Speaking about the initiative, he said that under this program, financial assistance is being provided to farmers owning between one and twenty-five acres of land. He pointed out that nearly 90 percent of farmers in Sindh fall within this category.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that farmers across the country have been facing great hardship in recent years. He noted that the burden of damage to the agricultural economy has been borne by farmers in Larkana, Punjab, and South Punjab (Wasib). He further said that due to international agreements, provincial governments had been restrained from purchasing wheat or announcing support prices.He said that, following his appeal, Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif declared both a climate emergency and an agricultural emergency in the country, and also waived electricity bills for consumers in flood-affected areas of Punjab — a gesture for which he expressed gratitude. He also appreciated the Prime Minister’s efforts to negotiate with the IMF to allow the provincial governments to announce support prices and procure wheat for the benefit of farmers.
Speaking about the country’s political situation and the proposed constitutional amendments, Chairman PPP said that “a lot is happening in Islamabad right now.” He emphasized that the PPP considers the Constitution to be the sacred trust of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He said that whether it was the Constitution of 1973 or the 18th Amendment, the PPP has always prioritized consensus-based legislation. “Whenever a constitutional amendment or law is made, political forces must find a middle ground,” he said.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that whether it was the drafting of the 1973 Constitution or the passage of the 18th Amendment, the people of Larkana played a frontline role. “If the sweat and blood of workers form the foundation of our economy, then the same sweat and blood of the people of Larkana form the foundation of our Constitution,” he remarked.
Referring to the 27th Amendment, he said that the PPP has once again addressed a long-standing gap in the Constitution. “Just as all federal units enjoy equal representation in the Senate, now every province will have equal representation in the Constitutional Court,” he said.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari added that the people of Larkana understand why this is essential — because they witnessed with their own eyes that the bench which sentenced Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to death had a majority of judges from one province, while the rest were from other provinces. “It was not only an injustice to Quaid-e-Awam but a blow to the Federation itself. A dangerous message was sent that day — one whose consequences we are still facing to this day,” he said.
Speaking about the 27th Constitutional Amendment, Chairman PPP said that while people may hold differing opinions on certain clauses of the proposed amendments, there can be no disagreement on one fundamental point — that every province will have equal representation in the Constitutional Court. “I congratulate all of you on this great achievement,” he said, adding, “I also want to thank you, for this has been a long and historic struggle. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto devoted 30 years of her life to restoring the Constitution of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. After her martyrdom, you — the people — revived that Constitution through the 18th Amendment and fulfilled the promises of the Charter of Democracy (CoD).” He continued, “But there was one commitment that could not be realized at that time. Insha’Allah, I will go to Islamabad and ensure that it is finally fulfilled.”
The ceremony was also attended by PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Minister for Agriculture Sardar Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar, former Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers , members of the assembly, and party office-bearers.
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