ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to ensure a transparent and merit-based selection of the students to be sent to China for modern training in the agriculture sector.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting on the subject, also directed the formation of a committee to address the grievances of the students not meeting the standard during the scrutiny.
Calling China a time-tested friend of Pakistan and lauding its development in the agriculture sector, he told the participants that during his China visit, he had requested the Chinese leadership for the modern training of Pakistani students in the agriculture sector.
He said that the Government of Pakistan would bear the expenses of the students’ training and the first batch would soon leave for China. A 10% quota has been allocated for Balochistan among the students to be selected for the training, he added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also thanked the Chinese leadership and the universities for allowing the Pakistani students.
In the meeting, the prime minister was told that 1287 male and female students had applied through a portal of which 711 – including those from Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan – met the criteria.
The students would be sent to China in two batches. Scheduled to leave for China in March this year, the first batch of 300 students will receive training in improving irrigation, diagnosing and monitoring veterinary diseases, veterinary breeding and genetics, and modern seed preparation and processing.
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The second batch of 400 students will leave for China by mid-year to be trained in the use of modern agricultural machinery, rapid crop growth, and modern agricultural technology, including artificial intelligence and the processing of fruits and vegetables.
