TOBA TEK SINGH: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is establishing country’s first-ever agriculture and food museum in a bid to preserve great agrarian heritage in addition to showcasing agricultural evolutionary times and culture to the moderntechnologyera.

This was stated by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan while addressing a workshop on museum.

He said the university came into existence in 1906 as the Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute, Lyallpur, and was the first agricultural institute of the sub-continent which brought a revolution and introduced innovation in the sector.

He said at the end of the 19th century, the British government had set up the famine commission to formulate a strategy to deal with famine and other food challenges. He directed the department heads and faculty to provide the valuable asset to be displayed in the museum which would blend the agriculture, culture and rural folk.

He said the UAF was taking all possible measures to address the issue of the sector with trained manpower, tangible research work and outreach.

The VC said the university was declared the 49th best university across the globe in the agriculture and forestry as per QS ranking.

Food Sciences Dean Dr Imran Pasha told the audience that the UAF old campus was designed by the world renowned architect Bhai Ram Singh who also developed architectural design of Aitchison College, Lahore Museum, Punjab University Old Campus and Queen Victoria Commission Osborne House.

Museum Consultant Ayesha Zainab said the museum would attract a large number of the population and contribute the world agriculture heritage and provide a better understanding of agriculture and its influence on culture and economy.

Dr Raffay Muzamil said the museum galleries would exhibit a range of artefacts, consisting of historical agriculture, modern agriculture, crop varieties, crop patterns, soil condition, and food technology.

CROSSFIRING: A passerby was killed and three other persons were injured seriously in a crossfire between two rival groups in Chak 109-RB in Faisalabad on Wednesday.

Reports said Aqeel was passing through the street where the men of two groups, headed by Shahbaz and Shahid, were exchanging fire over an old enmity. Two bullets hit Aqeel who died while being shifted to hospital.

The injured persons identified as Shahbaz, Khalid and Asghar were shifted to Allied Hospital. Khurrianwala police have arrested some men of both groups.

ROBBERS KILL TRADER: An animal trader was killed while his son was injured critically by robbers near Niamuwala cattle market in Roshanwala police station area on Wednesday.

Police said three motorcyclists intercepted Sarwar, 50, and his son Usman, 20, when they were returning home after selling animals in the cattle market. The robbers snatched Rs140,000 in cash from them and opened fire on them when they put up resistance. As a result both the father and the son sustained injuries and Sarwar succumbed to his injuries on the spot, while Usman was shifted to the DHQ Hospital.

In another incident, dacoits took away animals worth Rs5 million from Tandlianwala Chak 497-GB in Faisalabad on Tuesday night.

Reports said six armed men came on a truck to the outhouse of Aqdas Ahmad Yar Baloch and tied his servant Ali Sher and other people with ropes. Later, they loaded buffaloes and calves on the truck and escaped.

Mamukanjan police have registered a case.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024