Aussie firm to work on artificial rain in Cholistan

Official tells delegation agreement signed, demonstrations to take place soon

MULTAN:

The government has signed an agreement with an Australian company for artificial rain in Cholistan with demonstrations scheduled to take place soon.

The Additional Chief Secretary of South Punjab, Capt. (Retd.) Saqib Zafar, made these remarks during a visit to the South Punjab Secretariat by senior officers from the 38th course of the National Institute of Management, Islamabad, on Tuesday.

Capt. (Retd.) Saqib Zafar highlighted Cholistan's vast potential for the livestock sector.

He told the delegation that South Punjab had been playing a significant role in food security and cotton production.

Saqib Zafar said, "Punjab province contributes 70% of the country's cotton, with an impressive 94% share coming from South Punjab.”

The additional chief secretary said that significant strides were being made to foster agro-based industries in the region, including the allocation of land for industrial zones under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Also read: Pakistan fails to realise CPEC potential

Progress was being made in innovative projects in corporate agriculture and dairy farming, designed to settle uninhabited lands in South Punjab.

About the utility of the Secretariat, he said, "South Punjab Secretariat has set the region on a new path of development, ensuring that development funds remain within the area."

South Punjab's rich history, civilisation, literature and culture were marked, with efforts to promote these aspects in addition to infrastructure development, he added.

Recently, a literary festival in Multan and a rowing competition in Bahawalpur exemplified these endeavours.

With a population of 34.7 million, South Punjab was committed to international recommendations for eradicating poverty from the region.

There were immense opportunities for tourism development, with plans in motion to restore the historic palaces in Bahawalpur Division to their original glory.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2023.