President Zardari Suggests Establishing New Bank For Boosting Agriculture in Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari has proposed the establishment of a state land bank to utilize government-owned lands to secure investment from international financial institutions and PSX. During a meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Zardari emphasized the urgent completion of the Kachhi Canal project within 1.5 years. The project aims to irrigate 713,000 acres of land in Balochistan, with the federal government committing to provide the necessary funding for its timely completion. The meeting also discussed the construction of six strategic canals under the GPI. These canals are expected to significantly enhance Pakistan’s agricultural potential by increasing cultivable areas as well as livestock and the capacity of fisheries. Zardari ordered to expedite work on these strategic canals and for modernizing Pakistan’s irrigation sector to conserve water, reduce losses, and enhance availability. He also urged promoting drip irrigation in barren areas around the canals and proposed revamping the Indus River System Authority. The meeting included plans to establish 27 telemetry points to ensure accurate data sharing on water availability and flow.