10,000 PhDs to pass out in next 10 years in Pakistan: Ahsan

Rawalpindi
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said here on Wednesday that agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan economy. It is the need of the time to shift agriculture on modern trends to make Pakistan a food sufficient country and to enhance water storage capacity in order to meet water related issues.
He stated this while addressing as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the three days (30 September to 2 October 2015) International Workshop on ‘Sustainable Agriculture Water Management in a Changing Environment- A special Focus on Olive Tree’, here at Pir Mehr Ali Shah - Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR).
The minister emphasised the significance of olive cultivation and said that Potohar area has great potential for it. He further said that new initiative to promote olive cultivation in Pakistan would help to generate better income for farmers in the country. Olive is a high-value agricultural product, which could also bring in the much-needed foreign exchange, if exported to other markets, he added.
While talking about higher education, the federal minister said that present government is also focusing on education sector which is reflecting from the increase in budget from Rs48 billion to Rs78 billion for higher education in last two years. He further said that government is also trying to establish universities or their sub campus in all districts of Pakistan to give access of higher education to the youth of the country in next two to three years. He said ten thousand PhDs will also be pass out in next ten years.
Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal also planted a tree and performed the groundbreaking ceremony regarding construction of Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology (AE&T) at the University campus.
The establishment of AE&T faculty project having total cost Rs751 million and would significantly contribute to improve agricultural technology as well as educational infrastructure at PMAS-AAUR. The duration of the project is three years.
Earlier, PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, in his welcome address, elaborated the aims and objective of the workshop and emphasised the significance of olive cultivation for the economy of Pakistan and said that high value agricultural products will help generate better income for farmers in the country.