Rawalpindi - Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan on Monday said December 16 marks one of the most painful days in Pakistan’s history, referencing the Fall of Dhaka in 1971 and the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar.
He expressed these sentiments during the inaugural ceremony of a three-day International Training Workshop on DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR).
The governor lauded the sacrifices of the armed forces in combating terrorism and highlighted corruption as a significant national challenge. Addressing climate change, he emphasized Pakistan’s disproportionate vulnerability despite its minimal contribution to global emissions, urging collective efforts to tackle the crisis.
Discussing rain-fed agriculture in Rawalpindi, he noted that delayed rainfall had hampered wheat production for three consecutive years, with harvesting frequently coinciding with heavy rains, causing further losses. Comparing Pakistan’s agriculture to India’s, he attributed India’s progress to better subsidies for diesel and fertilizers.
Dr. Muhammad Naeem, vice chancellor of PMAS-AAUR, underscored the need to mitigate environmental harm through technological innovation. He emphasized universities’ roles in addressing climate challenges and highlighted a recent collaboration with the Green Pakistan Initiative and a Chinese company on a project promoting modern agriculture and water-efficient technologies.
Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed urged collaboration among experts to develop comprehensive strategies for addressing climate change and enhancing agricultural practices, lamenting Pakistan’s lag behind neighboring countries.
