ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday sounded the alarm over the collapse of the country’s once-thriving cotton industry, urging an urgent national effort to revive a sector that has seen output plummet from 14 million bales to just four million in recent years.
“We must revive our cotton sector. Similarly, livestock holds massive potential,” he said while addressing a ceremony held to mark the departure of another 300 students to China for a fully funded international training programme aimed at upgrading Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
Describing agriculture as the backbone of the national economy, he emphasised the urgent need to modernise the sector to address declining productivity and unlock its vast potential – particularly in cotton and livestock.
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“We are an agrarian economy. Any investment in this sector directly strengthens the national economy,” he said, adding the students – selected on merit from across the country – would serve as “ambassadors of Pakistan” in China.
The PM highlighted the importance of investing in modern agricultural technology, saying it was essential for the country’s economic revival.
The departing students are part of a bilateral youth development programme designed to equip Pakistani graduates with advanced farming techniques and knowledge, underscoring growing cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing in the agricultural domain.
Sharif lauded the performance of the first batch of 300 students who recently returned from China after receiving training, particularly in the province of Xi’an.
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He recalled that the initiative was launched following his visit to an agricultural university in China, where he witnessed first-hand application of advanced research and farming practices.
The new cohort includes students from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, with a 10 per cent quota reserved for students from Balochistan.
Sharif also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Xian Zaidong, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi for their support in making the programme a success.
Ambassador Zaidong presented a cheque for flood relief aid from the Chinese government – a gesture warmly welcomed by the prime minister.
The ambassador reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to Pakistan’s development, noting that the training aligns with President Xi’s vision of youth capacity building.
“Skilled labour is the cornerstone of economic growth,” Zaidong said, commending Islamabad’s efforts to stabilise the economy.
PM Sharif noted that Pakistan had achieved macroeconomic stability, improved its foreign exchange reserves, and recorded 3.5 per cent GDP growth.
Ambassador Hashmi, who played a key role in coordinating the training programme, was presented with a memento by the PM. The latest group of students is scheduled to depart for China on August 24.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025