Federal Minister for Interior, Planning Development & 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.
LAHORE (Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2018 ) Federal Minister for Interior, Planning Development & 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. 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.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha, UVAS Syndicate Member & Ex-President Lahore Chamber of Commerce Mr Abdul Basit, Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association Dr Arshad Hanif Chouhdary, Narowal District Chairman Ahmad Iqbal, School Principle Prof Dr Rana Muhammad Younus, Manager Regulatory Affairs Engro Food Dr Muhammad Nasir and a large number of public from civil society, UVAS faculty members, farmers and livestock officials attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal said that the para-veterinary school in Narowal will bring revolution in this area through education. He said that livestock sector has been neglected in past, therefore it is direly needed to develop our livestock system by producing trained young agrarians and veterinarians in the country. He said agriculture is the backbone of our economy and livestock its integral part, so livestock sector development is the key to revival of crisis-hit agriculture sector.
He said 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 very soon 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. He said our 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.
He said it is direly needed that every person performs his duty with full dedication for national development. He said that Narowal city would be recognized as one of the best livestock city of Pakistan in future. The minister said the government is focusing on development of infrastructure, human resource, agricultures and livestock for which collective efforts are 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.
He praised UVAS leadership for the completion of Para Veterinary School project successfully in a short period of 15 months. He said that there are ample opportunities in livestock/agriculture in the Pak-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) and we should get maximum benefit from them. He called for enhancing our agriculture productivity through application of innovative knowledge, technology and methodologies. For the promotion of education and research in the area, he said, different universities sub campuses are being set up at Narowal under Vision 2025.
He hoped that Pakistan would soon become an Asian tiger. Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said three professional programmes/courses including Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Livestock Assistant Diploma and six-month short course of Artificial Insemination of NAVTTC have been started November 2017 in 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 Rs 195.280 million and it has 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 has 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 has been made functional for the benefit of poor livestock farming community. Dr Arshad Hanif Chouhdary and Dr Muhammad Nasir also spoke on the occasion and recommended starting a school meal programme to curb the malnutrition issues especially in school going children by serving them a glass of milk and egg regularly in class rooms. PPA and Engro food representatives are willing to provide their full support to government for healthy nutrition school meal programme, they said. Earlier Ahsan Iqbal along with Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Pasha visited different laboratories including microbiology lab, biochemistry lab, nutrition lab, anatomy, histology, physiology and computer labs, library, student hostels, classrooms and conference room, etc, of the school.
