Bahawalnager to be livestock 'disease-free zone'

LAHORE:

The country's first livestock disease-free zone is being established in Bahawalnagar to turn it into a leading district for meat and milk exports.

Punjab Livestock Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said during a workshop that the government is encouraging the use of high-quality breeding to boost milk and meat production. He said many dispensaries and hospitals established in the past had fallen into disrepair, and the government had now assigned their rehabilitation to fresh veterinary graduates.

The minister said about 2.2 million animals had been rescued and vaccinated during this year's flood, reaffirming the government's commitment to rehabilitating affected farmers and promoting livestock development. He said cows were being distributed among widowed and divorced women in South Punjab to help them achieve economic independence.

He announced that livestock conferences would soon be organised in major cities across Punjab to strengthen linkages among experts, farmers and investors. Provincial Livestock Secretary Ahmad Aziz Tarar said the department is focusing on mechanisation, advanced breeding techniques and the establishment of disease-free zones. He said the government has allocated Rs30 billion for agricultural sector mechanisation, which will positively impact livestock productivity.