Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a transparent and merit-driven process to select students for advanced agricultural training in China, emphasizing fairness and equal opportunity.

Presiding over a meeting on Wednesday, the prime minister directed the establishment of a committee to address grievances of candidates who may not meet the eligibility criteria during the selection process. He stressed the importance of ensuring credibility in the program to inspire confidence in the initiative.

The prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s deep-rooted friendship with China and commended its groundbreaking advancements in agriculture. During his recent visit to China, he personally requested the Chinese leadership to offer modern agricultural training opportunities for Pakistani students.

He revealed that the Government of Pakistan will fully sponsor the program, with the first batch of students set to depart for China in the coming months. To ensure representation, a 10% quota has been allocated for students from Balochistan.

Expressing his gratitude to the Chinese government and universities for their cooperation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the training initiative as a vital step in modernizing Pakistan’s agriculture sector and addressing food security challenges.

Officials briefed the prime minister during the meeting, reporting that 1,287 male and female students applied for the program through an online portal. Of these, 711 applicants, including candidates from Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, met the eligibility requirements.

The training program will be rolled out in two phases. The first batch of 300 students, scheduled to leave in March, will receive hands-on training in modern agricultural techniques, including irrigation improvement, veterinary disease management, genetics, and advanced seed preparation.

A second group of 400 students will depart mid-year to undergo training in areas such as the use of cutting-edge agricultural machinery, rapid crop growth technologies, artificial intelligence in agriculture, and the processing of fruits and vegetables.

Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and Ahad Khan Cheema, along with the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission and senior officials, attended the meeting.

This initiative aims to equip Pakistani students with world-class agricultural expertise, strengthening the nation’s capacity to tackle agricultural challenges and enhance food security through innovative practices.

Source - https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk