ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the provinces, particularly Balochistan, to present comprehensive plans for increasing cotton production. He instructed that the notification of the reconstituted Cotton Board be issued immediately.
The prime minister was talking to a delegation of agricultural sector stakeholders which called him at the PM House.
The delegation included representatives of farmers’ organisations, dairy and livestock sector, value-added sector, seed-producing companies as well as national and multinational organisations.
The meeting, held ahead of the Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27, aimed to consult stakeholders from the agricultural sector regarding budget-related matters.
The prime minister stated with the cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) was being modernised to accelerate agricultural research. He directed the formation of a committee comprising experts and relevant stakeholders from across the country to advance the agenda of sustainable agricultural development and reforms.
He instructed authorities to focus particularly on increasing crop yield per acre, promoting climate-resilient hybrid seeds, developing the horticulture sector, advancing agricultural mechanisation and enhancing value addition in agricultural products.
During the briefing, participants were informed that under the Zarkhaiz Scheme, small farmers were being provided bank loans of up to Rs1 million on easy terms and conditions. The State Bank of Pakistan is providing farmers with a risk coverage scheme and crop loss insurance.
Drafts of the National Animal Health Act and the National Breeding Policy have been prepared to support the development of the dairy and livestock sectors.
Meanwhile, chairing a high-level review meeting, the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to accelerate the privatisation process of electricity distribution companies (Discos), reiterating that offloading loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs) was a priority for the government. He instructed officials to ensure complete transparency throughout the privatisation process and establish a robust regulatory framework immediately following the transition of Discos to the private sector.
Separately, the prime minister directed formation of a working group of Government of Pakistan and Global Fund to strengthen efforts for prevention and control of HIV and improve coordination between the two sides in tackling growing public health challenge.
The decision was announced during a meeting between prime minister and a high-level delegation of Global Fund led by Mark Edington, Head of Grant Management Division, at the PM Office here. The delegation also included Senior Portfolio Manager Izaskun Gaviria and Deputy General Counsel Natasha Heffinck.
The premier said Pakistan highly values its longstanding partnership with Global Fund and acknowledged its significant contribution to improving public health outcomes in developing countries. “Pakistan considers Global Fund an extremely important partner in strengthening country’s healthcare system.”
The prime minister directed relevant authorities to establish a joint Pakistan-Global Fund working group on HIV prevention and control to improve co-ordination, identify emerging challenges and develop sustainable strategies for reducing new infections and expanding access to treatment services.
Members of visiting delegation urged Pakistan to gradually increase domestic investment in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of HIV, TB and malaria, noting global funding for three diseases is shrinking and that countries would need to assume greater ownership of their response programmes in coming years.
Pakistan remains heavily dependent on international assistance for its HIV response, while Global Fund support also plays a critical role in financing programmes for tuberculosis and malaria control.
