UVAS Narowal sub campus inaugurated

Project was completed at a cost of Rs195.280 million in 15 months

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Interior, Planning Development AND Reforms Prof Ahsan Iqbal has inaugurated University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore’s Narowal sub campus “Khan Bahadur Chaudhary Mushtaq Ahmad Para-Veterinary School” Narowal on Sunday.

The school has been named after Ahsan Iqbal’s grandfather Khan Bahadur Chaudhary Mushtaq Ahmad in recognition of his meritorious services for the promotion of veterinary profession. UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha, UVAS Syndicate Member Abdul Basit and a large number of people, faculty members and livestock officials attended the ceremony.

While speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal said that the para-veterinary school in Narowal will bring revolution in veterinary sciences through education. He said that livestock sector had been neglected in the past, therefore it was direly needed to develop the livestock system by producing trained young agrarians and veterinarians in the country.

He added, “Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and livestock is its integral part, so livestock sector development is the key to revival of crisis-hit agriculture sector.”

He maintained, “The government is willing to give more assistance for the promotion of veterinary profession and producing trained veterinary human resource in Narowal.”

He said that the para-veterinary school will be upgraded to a university. He said the young veterinarians to be produced by the school would resolve all issues facing livestock, poultry and dairy industries of Pakistan.

Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that the young veterinarians would also play a vital role in the development of national economy by enhancing milk and meat production through innovative research and latest methodologies.

The minister said the government was focusing on development of infrastructure, human resource, agricultures and livestock for which collective efforts were needed. He said, “We should give up leg pulling and not be a part of any kind of political conspiracies which hamper progress of our country.”

The minister praised UVAS leadership for the completion of Para Veterinary School project successfully in a short period of 15 months. He said that there were ample opportunities in livestock/agriculture in Pak-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and we should get maximum benefit from them.

He called for enhancing agriculture productivity through application of innovative knowledge, technology and methodologies.

Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said three professional programmes, including Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Livestock Assistant Diploma and six-month short course of Artificial Insemination of NAVTTC have been started from November 2017 at Narowal Campus.

He praised Khan Bahadur Chaudhary Mushtaq Ahmad’s unforgettable efforts for the uplift of veterinary profession. He thanked Ahsan Iqbal for providing assistance in developing the school project.

Dr Pasha said that the school cost Rs195.280 million and it had been completed in 15 months. “The school is equipped with state of the art facilities while four of its faculty members are PhD,” he added. The school comprises of spacious classrooms, a dispensary, animal shed, administration offices, state-of-the-art laboratories and student hostel, he said.

The Vice-Chancellor said that UVAS had been ranked not only among top Asian Universities but also among world universities in Times Higher Education World University Ranking and QS World Top University Ranking. He said that Narowal disease diagnosis system had been made functional for the benefit of poor livestock farming community.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2018.