Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed that transparency and merit be upheld in selecting students for agricultural training in China. During a review meeting in Islamabad, he called for the formation of a committee to address complaints from students who did not meet the criteria during the online application process.
Acknowledging China as a longstanding friend and leader in agricultural innovation, the Prime Minister highlighted his recent request to Chinese leaders for advanced agricultural training for Pakistani students. The government will fully fund the program, and the first batch of students is set to depart soon.
Emphasizing inclusivity, the Prime Minister announced that 10% of the seats are reserved for students from Balochistan. He thanked Chinese leadership and universities for their support.
Out of 1,287 applicants, 711 met the criteria, including students from Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. The training program will send 300 students in March 2025, focusing on areas like irrigation, livestock disease monitoring, and seed development. A second batch of 400 students will follow later, with training in modern agricultural machinery, rapid crop growth, and advanced technologies. Federal Ministers and senior officials attended the meeting.
