TOBA TEK SINGH: The vice chancellors of the Government College Women University Faisalabad (GCWUF), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) jointly inaugurated the 2nd day of “Kitaab Mela, Punjabi Saqafat te Rehtal” at GCWUF on Wednesday.

Faisalabad RPO Sohail Akhter Sukhera, University of Faisalabad Rector Prof Dr Amanullah Malik were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the students, RPO Sukhera emphasised engaging youth in positive activities, promoting girls’ education, safeguarding personal data, and maintaining zero tolerance for drugs. He reassured students of full police support in case of any exploitation, urging them to remain confident in reaching out to the law enforcement when needed.

GCWUF VC Dr Kanwal Ameen maintained that books and extracurricular activities collectively shaped balanced and confident personalities. She stressed the responsible use of digital media, encouraged students to live stress-free, positive lives, and thanked all distinguished guests for their participation.

The highlight of the day was a Punjabi mushaira, where renowned local and international Punjabi poets enthralled the audience with powerful poetic expressions. Students from various departments presented colourful cultural performances on Punjabi folk songs, while Sikh performers captivated the audience with an energetic Bhangra performance.

CITRUS PRODUCTION: Experts at the UAF have called for climate-smart citrus production practices to cope with challenges facing citrus production.

In this regard, they said that researchers and policymakers would have to come up with adaptive and sustainable solutions for future food security.

They were addressing an international seminar on the “Prospects of Climate-Smart Citrus Production: Adaptive Strategies for a Changing World” on Wednesday organised by the Hauzhong Agriculture University, China; Institute of Horticulture Sciences of UAF and the Citrus Research Institute, Sargodha and the Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar.

Dr Yong Zhong Liu from the Huazhong Agricultural University emphasised the importance of scientific management practices to improve citrus productivity. He shared advanced field techniques being practiced in China, including efficient nutrient management, canopy control, precision irrigation and climate-responsive cultivation methods. He stated that adopting modern technology, improved plant varieties and data-driven farming could significantly enhance yield and fruit quality, enabling farmers to achieve maximum production even under climate stress.

Dr Sajjad from the Texas A&M University, USA, highlighted that citrus farming offered multiple economic and nutritional benefits for farmers and rural communities. He stressed that by learning from current experiences and research, future generations would be better equipped to adopt climate-smart citrus production systems.

UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali emphasised that citrus was one of Pakistan’s most important fruit crops and played a vital role in agricultural growth and nutrition. He stated that climate change had significantly affected citrus productivity, quality and sustainability, making climate-smart agricultural practices more relevant than ever. He stressed the need for strengthening research, innovation and international collaboration to cope with environmental challenges.

Agriculture Dean Prof Dr Ghulam Murtaza, Institute of Horticulture Director Dr Ahmad Sattar, Dr Muhammad Azam, Dr Muhammad Usman, Dr Adnan Younus, Dr Rai Muhammad Asif, Dr Summar Abbas Naqvi, Dr Rashad Waseem and Dr Iftikhar Ahmad also spoke.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2026