President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Governor Punjab, Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) and Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi have felicitated the administration of Punjab government for holding National Horse & Cattle Show after a period of nine years.
In their separate messages, they observed that the show will go a long way in promoting the sectors of agriculture, livestock and industry particularly the small enterprises.
President Pervez Musharraf, in his message, said that the National Horse & Cattle Show would encourage farmers in raising the standard of horse and cattle breeding in the country and help promote unity, cohesion and healthy competition.
He said that the show is epitomised by the glory, chivalry and grit of the past alongside the fruits of modernisation and industry.
He observed that the fascinating production and rearing of horses and cattle, together with the progress attained in the field of mechanisation and industry, reflect the old and the new blended together in a colourful mosaic.
He said that the timing of National Horse & Cattle Show makes it even more attractive, as it is held in the splendour of Lahore spring when the cold weather's bite is weakened and summer yet to show its intensity.
He noted that the news of holding of the National Horse & Cattle Show has brought happy tidings.
The show which was initially held in the early fifties, has over the years become a national festival, an occasion for people to get together and watch the men and animals at their best.
The President congratulated the organisers of the show and appreciated the support given to it by the Punjab government. He wished the show a great success.
Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in his message, said the federal government is laying unprecedented emphasis on development and modernisation of the country's agricultural economy.
He said that the massive program to spread a network of farm-to-market roads, grant of liberal incentives to farmers to increase productivity, and the provision of insecticide, pesticides, fertilisers and good quality seeds are only some of the steps taken by the government.
The Prime Minister said that the National Horse & Cattle Show symbolises the ethos of our people, since Pakistan is mainly an agricultural country and agriculture is the principal occupation of the vast majority of its people, most of the festivals have their roots and relevance in farming and allied activities.
He observed that agriculture remains the backbone of our economy and employs the bulk of the country's labour force, in spite of the remarkable progress that we have made in science and technology, industrial production and mechanisation.
He further said that the joys and sorrows of an overwhelming majority of our people are still associated with good and bad harvests and added that the National Horse & Cattle Show is the biggest of the fairs held in Pakistan and has acquired the status of a great popular event.
He pointed out that show provides an excellent forum for the display of the country's livestock and farm products, and a large number of activities that support modern day farming.
He also congratulated the organisers of the National Horse & Cattle Show and the Punjab government which has given encouragement and support in this regard.
In his message, the Governor Punjab, Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) said that over the last decade, livestock sector has made remarkable progress in boosting the production of milk and meat, yet it remained below the required level of the ever-increasing population.
He said it is national need to accelerate the momentum of progress gained previously not only through enhancing the productivity of animals, but imparting to breeders the state of the art technologies in milk and meat processing.
He said that establishing of the traditional resource driven, labour intensive small holder subsistence farms must be encouraged through micro-credit-facility.
For a country like Pakistan, the relevance for economic development is an important dimension of cultural heritage strategy.
He said that livestock play an important role in our national economy and contributes 43 percent of the gross domestic products generated by the agriculture sector and noted that livestock sector has engaged 35 million population of the country as a mean of their livelihood and as such, livestock farming is interwoven with the social fabric.
He said in many situations, livestock contributes the main, if not the only, capital reserve of the family. He pointed out that National Horse & Cattle Show provides us an opportunity to practically demonstrate how cultural activities can make sound economic sense.
The Governor said that the government intends to utilise National Horse & Cattle Show as an instrument to put culture and human development at the very center of national development.
He felicitated the organisers and hoped that the festival would help encourage the animal lovers and acquire a status as a vehicle for empowerment of our rural population specially the women folk which is predominantly facing poverty due to non-availability of proper transportation facilities to market milk in all nooks and corners of the country.
In his message on National Horse & Cattle Show, Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the National Horse & Cattle Show, which remained suspended for some time, is being revived from this year in acknowledgement of the fact that the show is an ardent expression of Pakistan's national spirit and a manifestation of our rich rural culture.
He observed that the show became a yearly feature after its successful launching in the fifties and the prime object of holding the fair was to provide an occasion for the farmers of various parts of the country with a view to improving the standard of horse and cattle breeding.
He further said that later on impressed by its success, the industrial, scientific and mechanised sections of the society wished to participate in the show for the purpose of displaying their products and demonstrate their acumen in various fields.
The Chief Minister observed that the Punjab government has been going out of its way to help the farmers community and to make available all facilities for its development, better yield of the crops, more healthy and sturdy livestock and swift horses.
He hoped that the show would provide an excellent opportunity for the farmers to compete with each other with a view to attaining the mark of excellence, as the show is an index to the advancement made by the agricultural sector and it would also go a long way in giving an impetus to our long standing values of bravery, chivalry and sportsmanship.
He also felicitated the organisers of the show and appreciated their hard-work and dedication in this regard. He said, "The Punjab government is concerned and we are leaving no stone unturned to make the show a tremendous success."