While opposing the proposal to convert land of National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) earmarked for research purpose into housing colony, members of board of governors (BoG) of the council termed the move similar to that of Tailiban who have track record of destroying educational institutions.
The BoG of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) unanimously passed a resolution in which they strongly condemned and opposed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for setting up a housing colony by erasing NARC. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan presided over the BoG meeting. The resolution also urged the President BoG to approach Prime Minister and inform him about the contribution of NARC for agriculture development and the consequences of closing or shifting the center from the existing place. The resolution urged the President BoG to suggest the Prime Minister to reject the CDA summary in the larger national interest and transfer the land in the name of PARC/NARC.
Abdul Majeed Nizamani BoG member said that the idea to demolish NARC is not different than the Taliabn bombing of school and educational institutions. "I think that Taliban like thinking is behind the proposal of setting up housing colony at the site of NARC", he added.
He said that former president General Zia ul Haq at the time of inauguration of NARC said that this centre would be the F-16 of our country. "The government needs to allocate adequate fund for NARC and make efforts to address the shortcoming of the centre", he maintained. Nizamani said that shifting of NARC would be economic suicide adding that it seemed some non-state actors were behind the move to expose the country to hunger and poverty.
Dr Amir Muhammad BoG member and former chairman PARC said that country's survival depends upon agriculture sector and this sector could not progress without research and development. Such decision could only be taken by traitors and not by patriots, he said.
He said that India provides Rs 66billion per annum subsidy to agricultural sector and gives free of cost seed and water to the farmers. As compared to India, Pakistan provides small subsidy on agriculture inputs and if government did not reject CDA proposal it would further aggravate the problem for our growers, he said. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that the NARC has significantly contributed to development of agriculture sector in particular and overall economy of the country in general. He said that billions of rupees have been saved due to introduction of various technologies by the center since its inception.
He said that the development of rust resistant wheat varieties were source of benefit worth Rs 2000billion since 1990 while the center contributes Rs 273.54billion towards controlling, managing and eradicating various animal diseases. Similarly, the National Reference Lab of poultry disease has already saved Rs 90billion to poultry industry since 2004 and helped make Pakistan bird-flu free country among SAARC member states.
The minister said Rs 45billion have been saved by controlling Rinder Pest disease in cows and buffaloes while by managing and controlling the foot and mouth disease and PPR disease Rs 138billion have been saved so far. He said that the development and commercialisation of the farm machines alone have contributed more than Rs 230billion since 1985 while with the introduction of European bees along with improved technology, NARC revolutionised honey production resulting in economic benefit of Rs 50billion besides making Pakistan honey-exporting country.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Chairman PARC said that the justifications provided by CDA for shifting NARC from the current location have no sound grounds and even the original master plan of the federal capital bars such moves. Dr Mubarak BoG members said that PARC needs to device a comprehensive reply to the arguments raised by the CDA to convince the decision-makers about the importance of the center.
Seerat Asghar federal secretary for National Food Security and Research said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly rejected the summary but CDA's chairman Maroof Afazal did not confirm when asked during a meeting. He said that all former chairmen need to hold a press conference to highlight the importance of NARC. Additional Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Dr Muhamamd Hashim Populzai, Chairman PARC, Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, Former PARC Chairman Amir Muhamamd, Board Members, Abdul Majeed Nizamani and Member Planning Commission on Agriculture, Dr Mubarak also attended the meeting Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Seerat Asghar also joined the meeting on telephone.
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