Bahawalpur holds distinctive position in agri landscape: minister

LAHORE: The Punjab government has set a wheat cultivation target of 2.7 million acres in Bahawalpur division as the provincial government steps up efforts to ensure timely sowing and improve crop productivity.

Punjab Minister for Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani stated this while chairing a meeting on wheat cultivation at the Commissioner’s Office, Bahawalpur. Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, senior agriculture officials, divisional and district administration officers and other stakeholders attended the meeting.

The minister said that the Bahawalpur division held a distinctive position in the country’s agricultural landscape and that achieving the wheat cultivation target required coordinated efforts by the agriculture department and district administrations. He said the Punjab government was in continuous coordination with the federal government regarding the manufacturing, import and supply of fertilizers to ensure their availability to farmers.

Kirmani added that wheat cultivation was being ensured on land allocated under the Apna Khet Apna Rozgar Programme and the Numberdari Grant on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

He said the chief minister had also approved a subsidy of Rs450 million on certified wheat seed supplied by the Punjab Seed Corporation to facilitate farmers and encourage the use of quality seed. The minister further said an indiscriminate crackdown was underway against those involved in adulteration of fertilizers and agricultural pesticides, adding that strict action would be taken against those exploiting farmers through the sale of substandard agricultural inputs.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab Shakeel Ahmad Mian said farmers would receive technical guidance on modern production practices throughout the crop cycle, from sowing to harvesting. He added that review meetings would continue to monitor progress and ensure the successful achievement of cultivation targets.

Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Irfan Ali Kathia said divisional and district administrations were actively participating in the wheat cultivation campaign in line with the chief minister’s directions.

The meeting was attended by MNA Abdul Ghaffar Wattoo, MPAs Mian Shoaibuddin Owaisi, Khalid Mahmood Jajja, Kashif Naveed Pansota, Khalid Mahmood Babar Waran, Ghulam Murtaza and Zahid Akram, along with senior provincial and divisional officials.

Anti-Smog campaign

Separately, Kirmani chaired a meeting to review the ongoing anti-smog campaign and directed anti-smog squads to intensify surveillance and ensure accurate reporting of fire incidents and preventive measures.

He stressed the need for effective field monitoring to prevent activities contributing to air pollution. Secretary Agriculture Shakeel Ahmad Mian directed the relevant formations to compile and regularly submit daily reports on anti-smog operations to ensure proper monitoring of enforcement activities.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026