LAHORE     -     Farmers Bureau of Pakistan (FBP) has called upon the government to declare emergency in areas hit by the current heat wave, document the tentative losses incurred by the farmers due to failure of corn, cotton and rice crops and announce an incentives package for farmers. FBP President Dr Zafar Hayyat asked the government to write off the interest loans extended to farmers by the public and private financial institutions, disburse financial or other form of assistance in the hard hit areas. This should include per acre financial assistance, special subsidy on fertilizer and seed for the next crops, waiving off abiyana and Theka (lease) and soft or preferred rate loans for the next Rabi crop. He said that Pakistani farmers have been badly hit by the impact of heat wave which started somewhere in the end of August and continued till mid of September. The south of Punjab faced this brunt more than the rest of the country, though whole of Pakistan was affected. Cotton farmers especially are facing bad patch for the second consecutive year, this year more than the last year.