LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Saturday formally inaugurated the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (PAFDA), terming it South Asia’s first and most advanced Punjab Science Enclave that integrates high-tech agriculture, food and drug testing laboratories under one roof.
The inauguration also marked the commencement of PAFDA’s laboratory operations. On the occasion, the prime minister and chief minister laid the foundation stone of a hostel project for women scientists.
The ceremony was attended by diplomats from 20 countries, whom the prime minister and the chief minister welcomed. Addressing the gathering, PM Shehbaz Sharif lauded CM Maryam Nawaz’s performance, awarding her “full marks” and offering a symbolic salute to her leadership.
Following the ceremony, the prime minister and chief minister toured various departments of PAFDA, reviewed its operations and inspected agriculture, food and drug testing laboratories. They also observed the sampling procedures being implemented at the facility. Director General PAFDA Dr Talat Naseer Pasha briefed the participants, stating that the authority currently employs 232 scientists, most of whom are gold medallists, with women constituting 70 per cent of the workforce. Scientists from other provinces are also serving at the facility, he added.
Dr Pasha said PAFDA would ensure international quality standards for food, agricultural and pharmaceutical products. Its capabilities include nutrient profiling, microbiological safety testing and ingredient verification. He noted that the authority would significantly reduce reliance on foreign laboratories for quality certification and help restore global confidence in “Made in Pakistan” products.
The briefing further revealed that a state-of-the-art drug testing laboratory has been established with technical assistance from England and Turkiye. With the establishment of Punjab Science Enclave, comprehensive agriculture, food and drug testing services are now available at a single location.
It was shared that 42 high-tech machines worth Rs4.4 billion have already been installed at PAFDA, while an additional 565 machines will be provided in the near future. Officials also informed that under the Safe Punjab initiative, satellite crime scene units are being set up in all 38 districts of the province. Meanwhile, a women scientists’ hostel — the first of its kind in Punjab — will be constructed at a cost of Rs2 billion.
Later, addressing the ceremony, CM Maryam Nawaz said the PAFDA was not merely a structure of steel and cement but a “game changer” that would benefit not only Punjab but the entire country. She said the vision of establishing the authority was first conceived by PM Shehbaz Sharif during his tenure as chief minister and had now taken practical shape.
She said the establishment of state-of-the-art laboratories aimed to ensure justice and quality at every doorstep, adding that Shehbaz Sharif’s legacy was a source of pride for her and that she had learned the values of hard work and merit from him.
The chief minister said 42 high-tech machines had already arrived at PAFDA, while 565 more were in the pipeline, with the procurement process to be completed next month. She added that under the Safe Punjab initiative, satellite crime scene units were being established in all 38 districts to ensure the preservation of evidence.
Maryam said PAFDA would have the capacity to test fertilisers, food, drugs, cosmetics, orthopaedic implants, animal feed and soil fertility. She disclosed that the authority employed 232 scientists, including over 100 gold medallists and 28 PhD holders, with women comprising 70 per cent of the workforce. She added that PAFDA was receiving technical assistance from USAID, Switzerland-based GAIN and New Zealand’s CABI.
Referring to exports, the chief minister said Pakistani consignments were often rejected due to quality issues, and PAFDA would set national and international standards to ensure that only quality products were exported. She stressed that products unfit for export should not be allowed for local consumption either, noting that the authority would benefit both exporters and domestic consumers. She also announced the establishment of the province’s first women scientists’ hostel, with accommodation for 300 women. Highlighting governance reforms, she said e-tendering, e-procurement and e-business systems had been introduced, resulting in more than 23,000 businesses receiving online, faceless approvals.
The chief minister said drones were now deployed ahead of police in emergencies and had been used for digital monitoring during firefighting operations. She added that women in distress no longer needed to visit police stations, as police reached them directly through the 15 helpline.
She said artificial intelligence (AI) was being utilised in traffic management, child protection and other sectors, and announced that AI education would be made mandatory in all schools across Punjab from April. She concluded by terming PM Shehbaz Sharif the architect of a modern Punjab and a modern Pakistan.
Separately, CM Maryam Nawaz ordered emergency measures to address sanitation, sewerage and beautification issues in Sargodha, directing authorities to ensure visible improvement across the city within three days.
Following the chief minister’s directive, Provincial Adviser Shoaib Mirza visited Sargodha and chaired an emergency meeting at the commissioner’s office to review the situation and issue instructions to relevant departments. The meeting decided that all sanitation and sewerage problems must be resolved within three days. The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) was directed to immediately drain stagnant water from the city, while additional machinery under the Suthra Punjab programme was ordered to be deployed. Authorities were instructed to carry out thorough cleaning and washing of roads, bazaars and streets, and to complete zebra crossings and traffic safety measures outside schools without delay.
For rural areas, permanent solutions to ponds and standing water were ordered. The meeting also directed immediate improvement of parks, greenbelts and road medians, restoration of streetlights and indiscriminate action against encroachments.
It was made clear that strict action would be taken against officers failing to comply with the directives. The chief minister has set a target to make Sargodha a model city in cleanliness and beautification by Eid, with a progress report to be submitted after three days.
