Islamabad-Parliamentary Committee on CPEC Chairman has Wednesday said that Pakistan needs not to rely on China for technological transfer rather boost its capacity building and enhance the areas of research to encourage indigenous technological innovations and modernize its agriculture sector.
29th meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was held in National Agriculture Research Centre, under the Chairmanship of MNA Sher Ali Arbab. Committee chairman was briefed by PARC Chairman regarding 10 years development targets under CPEC.
The Committee was briefed by Ministry of National Food Security & Research Secretary and, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Chairman regarding Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and other projects related to the agriculture sector. 
The PARC Chairman while sharing 10 years development targets under CPEC, briefed the Committee that PARC aims to change Pakistan from cotton import country to cotton export country and save foreign exchange of $1.5 billion. Besides renovation of existing orchards, the introduction of new varieties, reducing post-harvest losses, improving value chain and development of rural industries are major proposed interventions. The Committee also paid a visit to the exhibition at National Agriculture Research Centre where a comprehensive briefing was given to the Committee by concerned regarding Agrotech Company, aquaculture and fisheries program, Honeybee Research Institute, alternative energy use in agriculture and vegetable and fruit crops cultivation processes.
“We need to strengthen this diminishing sector under CPEC framework,” The committee Chairman remarked.  It is therefore imperative that Pakistan needs not to rely on China for technological transfer rather boost its capacity building and enhance the areas of research to encourage indigenous technological innovations and modernize its agriculture sector. 
The Committee observed that the research which is being generated by PARC to enhance agricultural production needs to be collaborated with Ministry of Commerce and other concerned to check economic viability of that agricultural commodities so that Pakistan’s vast agriculture potential could be utilized in enhancing agricultural exports. Moreover, it was noted that China imports meat worth $48 billion from other countries. Taking Pakistan’s huge potential in livestock and other food processing items into account, there is an exigency of meeting international food standards and initiate negotiations with China to remove anomalies and enhance Pakistan’s exports in these areas. This is how Pakistan’s engagement with China can be made more prolific and constructive under CPEC framework.
The Committee remarked that farmers are the major stakeholders of the agriculture sector. It is concerning that seeds of various crops are not being provided to farmers timely. Some members of the parliamentary committee also pointed toward the inequitable distribution of seeds The members also alleged that the seeds were available on the private stores instead of the NARC centres. However, the allegation was rejected by the official of NARC, saying that the member was talking about the new variety of Garlic seed G1. The new variety was developed by the PARC within three years and was not sold to anyone. They have planted the new seeds in 25 acres area within PARC and will be available for next years. The stores who were selling Garlic seeds saying as G1 was lying. They were selling some other Garlic seed as G1 variety, the official added.
The committee said that bottlenecks in this regard need to be removed to ensure fair and timely distribution of crops seeds to the farmers so that by resolving farmers’ issues agricultural productivity could be enhanced and agriculture sector could be made more beneficial for these important stakeholders. In the light of these issues, Hon. Chairman remarked that selected group of farmers from all provinces and regions would be invited to convey their issues to PARC so that their problems could be resolved and recommended to Members to send the list of issues which they believe are important to be addressed so that Committee may take up those issues with PARC and resolve them accordingly. 
The Committee further added that vast potential of the agriculture sector if exploited prudently and effectively will vehemently alter the socio-economic landscape of our country, bring lasting economic benefits and strengthen the process of industrialization under CPEC framework. Therefore more focused and integrated efforts are required to revive the agriculture sector and further utilize its potential for ensuring inclusive economic growth and development. Members of Parliamentary Committee on CPEC have raised the issue of inequitable distribution of seeds by Pakistan Agricultural Research Centre (PARC) saying that the new variety of seeds were missing from the NARC Centres but were available in private stores. Chairman Parliamentary Committee on CPEC, after the briefing, emphasized that we must first address the existing agricultural infrastructure in Pakistan and its shortcomings so that in the light of modern agricultural knowledge and experience comprehensive and sustainable strategies can be formulated and solutions to the shortcomings in agriculture can be found on a modern scientific basis.
The meeting was attended by Noor Alam Khan, MNA Sadaqat Ali Khan Abbasi, Umer Aslam Khan, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Mehnaz Akber Aziz, Raza Rabani Khar, and Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi.