Islamabad(Syed Javed Hassan Shah): President of Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ayub Meriani, has stated that food security has become a serious issue that requires immediate attention from the authorities. Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change. Unusual droughts, floods, and extreme heat are impacting agricultural production, threatening food security and livelihoods in rural areas. Pakistan’s population is over 240 million, and we need to secure it, which requires protecting agricultural lands. Industries are a major source of employment, but agricultural lands must also be protected for the future.

President Ayub Meriani said that SIFC has started work on agriculture in Cholistan, far from Bahawalpur city, for which they deserve congratulations. The government should certainly industrialize, as it is the backbone and a major source of employment, but it must also protect agricultural lands for a secure future. A comprehensive strategy should be developed to mitigate the effects of climate change, including better water management and cultivation of climate-resilient crops. The government can collaborate with the Quetta Chamber to hold a seminar on this important issue to highlight it.