- NARC director terms Dr Ahmad’s speech ‘historic’
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad on Friday pledged to save national institutions against all odds and lead the country towards progress and prosperity.
The chairman was addressing the flag-hoisting ceremony in the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) as part of Independence Day Celebrations. The event was attended by eminent scientists, agriculturalists and employees of PARC and NARC.
Alleging that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was destroying national assets purely for financial reasons, he committed himself to the protection of institutions like NARC, “come what may”.
“I will not allow them to destroy this national asset and develop housing society,” he said. “If they (CDA) destroy NARC, they will do it over my dead body.”
Dr Iftikhar stated that all Pakistanis must play a role in nation building in order to realize the dreams of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan’s independence. Expressing his view that economic progress required the progress of the agricultural sector, he stated that anti-Pakistan elements worked to destabilize the country by conspiring against institutions like NARC. Touching on the concept of future food security, he added that even projects like the Sino-Pak Economic Corridor would prove useless if research institutions were not protected.
His address was lauded by NARC Director General Dr. Azeem, who called it a historic speech. Dr. Azeem also added that all scientists would display solidarity in their defense of NARC. Other speakers, including PARC Scientists Association (PARSA) President Dr Altaf Sher, PARC Public Relations Director Sardar Ghulam Mustafa and Dr Anjum Munir reiterated this belief and spoke out against what they called land grabbing efforts aimed at destroying national assets. Dr Altaf remarked that he thought it strange that the CDA would destroy a national asset just for Rs 100 billion.
The participants of the event also took out a procession from NARC’s main building towards research farms, chanting slogans of “Long Live Pakistan”.