NA Speaker anticipates pro-farmer budget

ISLAMABAD, Apr 15 (APP):Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar Wednesday expressed his views on the upcoming federal budget as an opportunity to revive the lost momentum of the agriculture sector.

He expressed these views while meeting the newly appointed Federal Minster for National Food Security, Syed Fakhar Imam, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative, Asad Omer and several members of the National Assembly, said a press release issued here.

The speaker highlighted that a pro-farmer enabling policy environment was imperative to make Pakistan’s agriculture sector globally competitive.

He said the recommendations of the National Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products (SCAP) were intended to bring about the fundamental policy shifts in the interest of the farmers and agriculture sector.

Asad Qaiser stated that the agriculture sector required greater investment packages as the sector would remain critical to Pakistan’s national food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods for a foreseeable future.

He stated that SCAP would effectively push for protecting the interest of the farmers and agriculture sector.

This commitment would be translated into substantive outcomes in the upcoming budget, he added.

The speaker congratulated Syed Fakhar Imam on taking charge as the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research and underlined the need for a renewed cooperation between the National Special Committee on Agricultural Products and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

Syed Fakhar Imam remarked that the support of the National Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products was crucial to uplift the country’s agro-economy.

Given the fact that after the 18th amendment, food and agriculture is predominantly a provincial subject while food security and exports are a federal subject , the speaker advised the participants to reach out to the provincial governments and forge synergies in reviving Pakistan’s agricultural growth.

He instructed the present members and officials of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to comprehensively deliberate on the proposals and furnish a comprehensive report to the Committee by the end of this month.

On the sidelines of the meeting, it was also decided that MNA, Shandana Gulzar Khan will replace Syed Fakhar Imam as convener of the Sub-Committee of the SCAP after his appointment as the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research.