FAISALABAD City News

22nd convocation of UAF
Minister concerned over importing Rs3b edible oil
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD: Punjab Agriculture Minister Dr Farrukh Javed has said that the agriculture sector is facing different challenges, including water scarcity, climate changes and crippling energy crisis.
Addressing the 22nd convocation of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad here on Thursday, he asked academia and researchers to come up with solutions to overcome the challenges. He said that it was a matter of concern that the country was importing edible oil worth Rs 3 billion for which steps were afoot to promote the cultivation of olive oil in the Potohar area. He said that the Punjab Agriculture Department had just launched the precision land levelling and water conservation programme at a cost of Rs 36 billion. He said that the Punjab government was much alive and working hard to address the issues of agriculture and farming community. He said that the Punjab government had converted 20,000 tube-wells to the biogas. He said: “Our new hybrid maize seed was available in market at Rs 2,500, which was far less than the price of multinational companies of Rs 7,000. The minister lauded the university for entering in the list of top 100 universities of the globe.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the UAF was taking all-out efforts for the uplift of agriculture sector through ensuring food security and trained human resources. He said that the university had attained 97th position in the agriculture sciences according to the National Taiwan University. The Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) had ranked the varsity as the top degree awarding institution of the country for 2013, he added.
He said that the UAF had developed a comprehensive action plan - Vision 2030 - to achieve a sustainable agriculture through its three cornerstones, learning, discovery and outreach. He said that the university was setting up the Confucius Centre with the help of China in which Chinese cultural and language programmes would be offered.
Former Indian chief election commissioner Dr Manohar Singh called for joint collaboration in academia through students and faculty exchange programme.
As many as 3,327 students were awarded degrees and 35 students were decorated with medals at the convocation. As many as 101 PhDs, 322 MPhil, 1,448 MSc and MSc (Hons) MBA, MCom and 1,410 students of first degree programme were awarded degrees. Former Indian chief election commissioner Dr Manohar Singh was also awarded an honorary PhD degree.
Registrar Muhammad Hussain, Controller Examinations Dr Abdul Wahid, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi Dr Rai Niaz, Government College Women University Vice-Chancellor Dr Naureen Aziz, Government College University Faisalabad Dr Muhammad Ali, University of Gujrat Vice-Chancellor Dr Ziaul Qayyum and others were also present on the occasion.