Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of University of Agriculture Faisalabad’s sub campus Burewala

He was flanked by Provincial Agricultural Minister Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Secretary Agriculture Azmat Ali Ranjha, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and local political figures. The Punjab government has already provided 153 acres to the university to establish a sub campus here. Currently, the university will start functioning at Regional Agricultural and Economic Development Centre (RAEDC), Vehari. The classes will begin from September this year. Addressing on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that sub campus is being set up with the cost of Rs 541 million. He said that it is aimed at providing the modern agricultural education to the dwellers at their door step. The sub campus will be elevate to the status of a full fledged university in future, he added. The Chief Minister pointed out that it will also help boost up agricultural productivity of the district especially cotton, rice and sugarcane. Earlier, the vice chancellor briefed the chief minister . He said that the UAF is top ranked university of the country and one of the only two Pakistani universities which are ranked in top 300 universities of the world. He said that sub campus would provide an opportunity of agricultural education to the local youth at the affordable cost to address the issues of growers and industry. He said that setting up the campus in the far flung areas of the province is the need of the hour. Keeping in view, the University plans to open the subcampus at Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Sialkot, Mandi BahaDin and Khushab. He quoted an example of University of California and Florida which has atleast ten campuses. He said that Ludhiana Agriculture University is operating seven sub campuses in the Indian Punjab. The sub campus will focus on cotton, mango, neeli /ravi buffaloes, and agro based SME in the region. He said to inform the farmers about the latest practices, a FM radio is working at the main campus whereas the UAF is mulling opening a TV channel for the farmer community. He said that we are also working on mobile plant diagnostic lab for the welfare of farmers. He praise the Chief Minister for the promoting the educational sector in the province.