Former prime minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former chairman Senate, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari have expressed serious concern over the move by Capital Development Authority (CDA) to transform the agricultural research land of National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) into a housing society.
Talking to the delegation of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), led by its Director for Public Relations and Protocol, Sardar Ghulam Mustafa, PPP leaders including Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Former Chairman Senate, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that they will not tolerate transformation of NARC land into housing society as suggested by CDA in its recent summary sent to the prime minister.
The issue will be raised in both the houses of the parliament with an aim to save this highly important national asset. National institutions like NARC are not easy to develop within a short span of time, so the move by CDA to establish a housing society on NARC land is tantamount to pushing the country towards hunger and poverty.
“The issue would be raised at the Senate as well as National Assembly to stop the move,” they assured the delegation members.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that it has taken a long time to establish the state-of-the-art laboratories and mother orchards at NARC, so PPP would not allowed demolishing of these assets at the cost of housing society as the centre has been playing pivotal role in the development of agriculture sector
“This organisation has virtually played an important role for the progress of agriculture and prosperity of farmers, so the Peoples Party will continue to work for strengthening the institute,” the Former Prime Minister said.
He urged the Prime Minister to reject the summary forwarded by the CDA and issue directions to CDA for issuance of new lease agreement so that scientists and other employees of the organisation could work with peace of mind.
