TOBA TEK SINGH: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), in collaboration with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), has launched the agriculture financial literacy (AFL) student ambassador programme to educate the farming community about agricultural financing schemes, aiming to reduce the exploitation of middlemen.

The programme will also help raise awareness among farmers about the latest agricultural trends.

UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan said at a ceremony that 100 UAF students are engaged in the scheme by the SBP to raise awareness in the four tehsils of Faisalabad. He said that such initiatives are crucial for addressing the needs of farmers and providing a pathway to avoid middlemen.

He expressed concern that the country imports agricultural goods worth billions of rupees and highlighted the need to modernize the agriculture sector and develop comprehensive policies to reduce imports and increase exports.

SBP Director of Agriculture Credit and Financial Inclusion Abid Qamar said that this flagship initiative seeks to raise awareness regarding available financial schemes and government-driven initiatives.

The programme stands out as a pioneering effort, as it unites all major stakeholders, including the SBP, commercial banks and federal and provincial government departments, to engage with farmers collectively.

SBP chief manager Waqas Kashif Bajwa said that representatives from 11 banks participated in the launch ceremony.

He added that students will receive training and the programe will be expanded to the rest of the country in the future, engaging other universities as well.

HELD: Two police constables from Batala Colony (Faisalabad) were arrested on Monday for preparing a TikTok video featuring suspects Adil Bajwa and Suhail Akbar, who were under arrest for an attempted murder case.

The video was made while the suspects were in the police station’s lock-up and subsequently went viral on social media.

A police spokesperson reported that both constables, Ghulam Mustafa and Jamshed Ali, have been suspended from service.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024