The University of Agriculture Faisalabad and Ministry of National Health Regulations and Coordination under Tobacco Smoke Free Cities Project inked a Letter of Intent for joint efforts to control, regulate and discourage smoking.

It was duly inked UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa and Project Director/ Deputy Director Health Dr Minhaj-us-Siraj. Mayor Abdul Razaq, Chief Traffic Officer Ali Raza, UAF Director Student Affairs Dr Shahbaz Talib Sahi and Director External Linkages Dr Rashid Ahmad and other notables attended the meeting. UAF Vice Chancellor said that the university would help and persuade farmers of tobacco cultivation crop to introduce high-profit alternative crops to discourage tobacco cultivation and to raise the income of the said farmers. He added that the university is strictly implementing smoke sale prohibitions measures to discourage to smoking within the campus. He said that Rs 2000 fine is imposed over smoking in the university. He added that the smoking causes. He said that tobacco use was an important factor for the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. He said that in the country, tobacco is a cause of death of around 160,100 persons every year. He said that teachers, opinion leaders and religious leaders need to play their role to minimize the menace in the campus. Mayor Abdul Razzaq said that there is a need to discourage the smoking trend in the society which had taken roots. He said that effective policy measures would help address the issue and to save the lives which are being lost due to smoking. Dr Minhaj-us-Siraj said that objective of the project is strengthening tobacco control efforts through establishing coordination among district departments to plan, implement and monitor model city project. He said that the ultimate goal of this initiative is to come up with the obligations the World Health Organisation “to contribute to protecting present and future generations not only from the devastating health consequences due to tobacco, but also from the social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. Chief Traffic Police Ali Raza said that collaborated efforts and awareness should be made to address the issue at the national level. Dr Shahbaz Talib Sahi also spoke on the occasion. Preparations are getting final touch to hold International Entomological Congress here at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad on April 08, 2019. The 3-day Int. Congress is to be organized by Pakistan Entomological Society & Department of Entomology, UAF in collaboration with Corteva Agriscience at University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Besides Pakistan, scientists from China and Turkey are also participating in the congress. Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Baitulmal Ch. Muhammad Ajmal Cheema and Provincial Minister For Environmental Protection Muhammad Rizwan will participate in the inaugural session of the congress on April 08 as chief guest and guest of honor respectively. On 2nd day of the congress Chinese Ambassador Mr. Yao Jing and Parliamentary Secretary for Railway Mian Furrakh Habib will be part of the congress. On this occasion Chinese ambassador Mr. Yao Jing will lay the foundation stone of new building of CI-UAF and expected to sign two memorandums of understandings (MOUs) with UAF Vice Chancellor on R&D activities with Hubei Academy of Science, China and Chi Chang University China on faculty and students exchange, pink bollworm and joint research programs. President of Pakistan Entomological Society Prof. (R) Hafiz Abdul Qayyum, president PES Prof. Dr. Mansoor ul Hassan, vice president Prof. Dr. Muhammad Jalal Arif, and congress secretary Prof. Dr. Sohail Ahmad are overseeing and coordinating the arrangements. Vice chancellors from various universities including Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tufail VC Ghazi University DG Khan, Prof. Dr. Asif Ali Khan VC MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Prof. Dr. Zia ul Qayyum VC Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Imtiaz Ali Khan VC University of Swabi, KPK, Prof. Dr. Abid Farid VC University of Hiripur, KPK, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Faheem Malik VC University of Gujrat, Dr. Khalid Abdullah cotton commissioner, Islamabad, Dr. Anjum Ali Butter DG Agri Extension and numerous scientists and agricultural experts are expected to participate in the congress.