The Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan chaired the session as Chief Guest, while the Vice Chancellor of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Prof. Dr. Nasim Ahmad, and the Vice Chancellor of Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CUVAS) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sajjad Khan, were the guest of honor on the occasion.

Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture Faisalabad emphasized that the amid the situation of $10 billion import bill of essential items in the country, it is prerequisite to strengthen the agricultural sector with modern trends and scientific basis that will help boost up per acreage productivity and ensure food security. He further added that in order to ensure food security, the promotion of modern trends, including genome editing, is essential for achieving high yielding breeds of agriculture and livestock to improve productivity with resilient to diseases. He said that the National Center for Genome Editing has been set up at the UAF which will prove a revolutionary step towards equipping agriculture with state-of-the-art genetic facilities to multiply productivity. He said that the Center had been set up with the total funding of Rs. 1799 million collective funding from Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) worths Rs. 1298.63 million and UAF worths Rs. 500.960 million.

Prof. Dr. Nasim Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences said that in view of ever-increasing population and ensure food security, high yielding agriculture and livestock are the need of the hour for which agricultural scientists would have to expedite efforts. He said that teaching, learning and research at UAF had excellent repute not only at the national level but also at the international level. He said that the establishment of Genome Editing Center will open up a new chapter of glory.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sajjad Khan, Vice Chancellor, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences said that the livestock sector was facing crisis in which the promotion of genome editing would utter a new era of development. He said that food security can be ensured by uplifting agricultural system on scientific basis. Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Anas Sarwar Qureshi, Director CAS Dr. Sultan Habibullah and others were also present. Research Associate CAS Nehal Ahmad Khan also spoke.

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