TOBA TEK SINGH: Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said on Friday that agricultural scientists must undertake tangible research initiatives and develop high-yield seed varieties to ensure food security and tackle challenges including climate change and water scarcity.

He said this after inaugurating the Teaching Research Computing Facility at the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).

Expressing concern over agricultural imports, he said that despite being an agricultural nation, the country imported billions of rupees worth of agricultural commodities annually.

He said that nature had blessed the country with four seasons, an ecosystem and talented people. He called for accelerating efforts to increase per acre productivity.

Talking about the computing facility, the governor remarked that the donation of 1,000 computers by TT Global Foundation to the university was a commendable act that would enhance education and research.

He said the government was striving hard to provide state-of-the-art facilities and enhance public-private partnerships to address challenges.

On the geopolitical front, he highlighted that the world recognises the commendable role of the armed forces and the Pakistani government in the US-Iran conflict to bring peace in the region, earning the country international acclaim.

He praised the services of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying that peace would also lead to foreign investment and new avenues of development in the country.

Vice Chancellor Dr Zulfiqar Ali highlighted the university’s academic excellence, noting that 48 UAF scientists were ranked among the top two percent of scientists in the world.

He shared that the university had strengthened its global reputation by securing the 33rd position in the subject of Agriculture and Forestry according to the QS Rankings. Additionally, the university secured the 61st position in Veterinary Science worldwide. He praised the government’s education-friendly policies and stressed that digitalisation had become a vital necessity for development in the modern era.

ARRESTED: A Faisalabad Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team led by SHO Ajmal Hussain arrested on Friday one Muhammad Nadeem of Chak 39 GB during a raid in a visa fraud case.

A press release said that a case was registered against the accused for allegedly extorting Rs2.5 million from complainant Zahida Parveen on the pretext of sending her to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. However, he allegedly did not fulfill the promise and embezzled her money.

BOOKED: Brother of former PML-N MPA from Shorkot Khalid Ghani has been booked on Friday by the Shorkot City police under The Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Act 2019.

Accused Sajid Ghani had been charged for negligence in maintaining proper safety measures in his ice factory due to which an ammonia gas tank exploded and the lives of three factory workers were lost a day ago.

Complainant SHO Akhtar Abbas Durraj claimed in his FIR that the accused and his two supervisors were responsible for the deaths. No arrest has been made so far.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2026