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ISLAMABAD: A strong plea for boosting the country’s agricultural production coupled with strengthening of anti-smuggling measures was made in the National Assembly today [June 14]. During the … discussion on the Budget proposals … it was also suggested that agriculture, which was the backbone of the … economy, be given the status of an industry. …
…[D]r Mohammad Shafi (PPP-Bahawalpur) … said it was wrong to assume that the country faced deficit in food. The fact was food was being smuggled out, and alleged that some high-ups were involved. He also said that the country should go nuclear, and stressed the need to give top priority to basic industries in view of the fact that India had achieved nuclear capability. …
He said too much stress on regional languages could not create the sense of oneness among the people. Urdu was understood throughout Pakistan, and during his recent travel across the country he found that the “culture of all the four provinces is basically the same.” As a Punjabi, Dr Shafi said, he did not relish news in Punjabi. … Mr Sardar Khan [PPP-Gujrat] said Pakistan should adopt mechanised farming to make rapid strides in … agriculture.
Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2025
