LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved establishment of “Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences” in Bahawalpur and its PC-I amounting to Rs2.395 billion has been approved by the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP).

University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha, who is focal person for execution of this project, says the Punjab government has already allocated 1,000 acres of land in Bahawalpur for this new university and it is being established in collaboration with two Turkish universities -- “Selcuk University” and “Ankara University”.

The new university will have three faculties – Bio-Sciences, Veterinary Sciences and Animal Production & Technology. It will have 18 departments and an institute of Continuing Education and Extension. It will also have teaching and research centres on dairy cattle, beef animals, sheep and goats, camels, poultry, pet and wildlife, a Central Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, 16 departmental laboratories, veterinary teaching hospital, pet and wild animal hospital and computer labs along with library, student teacher centre, seminar rooms, auditorium, sports complex and staff and student residential facilities.

“This project will be completed in two years and thereafter the College of Veterinary Sciences of Islamia University, Bahawalpur, will move to this new facility,” says Prof Pasha.

The UVAS VC says the livestock sector is a source of livelihood and food security for its people in the country especially in south Punjab. He says this sector also has enormous potential for economic growth of the country.

“Cholistan is one of the major livestock holding territories in Punjab that is spread over an area of 26,000 square kilometres of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts. In order to exploit the potential of livestock resources of southern Punjab, the new university is being established,” he says.

The institute, he says, will assist in formation of disease-free zones and cater the need of allied industry to produce safe and healthy value-added livestock products having potential for export to regional markets.

It will also help the government develop policies that will foster a sustainable and prosperous farmer economy and enhance the socio-economic status of the rural population engaged in livestock/poultry production in southern Punjab and resulting in poverty reduction.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014