TOBA TEK SINGH: Industrial hemp must be introduced as a cash crop in the country to rescue the textile industry and to tap its potential with an estimated $4 billion annual economic opportunity for a greener and better future.

This was stated by the speakers at the second day of an international stakeholder workshop and exhibition on Industrial Hemp Value Chain at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad on Thursday.

UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan said the country was relying on five major crops, including the cash crops of cotton and sugarcane. He added that in the future, the area of the cotton would shift to Balochistan and hemp should be introduced as the third cash crop. Terming it more eco-friendly, he said industrial hemp had the potential to minimise the amount of carbon impact on the environment and it could also help the economic uplift.

Industrial and Medical Hemp Foundation Director Dr Omar Altaf Siddique said hemp textiles used 70pc less water than cotton, making it an eco-friendly alternative. He said with 500,000 acres under cultivation, hemp could absorb five million tonnes of CO2 per harvest.

“Requiring only one-third the water needed for cotton, hemp is a lifeline for water-scarce regions. It improves soil structure, reduces erosion and revitalises farmland for long-term productivity,” Mr Siddique added.

UAF Textile Engineering Chairman Dr Asad Farooq said hemp offered a sustainable pathway to prosperity, addressing critical challenges in agriculture and textile industry. He said the development of hemp as a key industry required strategic and incremental supply chain planning. He announced that the university had prototypes (fabric, knitwear) in collaboration with the industry.

UAF Department of Agronomy Chairman Dr Nadeem Akbar said the hemp industry could create significant economic and rural empowerment, unlocking the opportunities for farmers, processors and innovators across the supply chain. By engaging local communities, Pakistan could raise inclusive growth.

Dr Saddam Hussain said they selected the non-toxic hemp material and optimised the hemp agronomy.

Dr Nayyab Khan also spoke.

GANG RAPE: Two men were booked by Khurrianwala, Faisalabad police for gang-raping a woman.

The complainant, a resident of Chak 266-RB, Jaranwala, claimed in her FIR said she was a divorcee and the suspect who belonged to her village took her to Chak 200-RB Lathianwala by a car with the promise to provide her with a job where the suspect along with another unidentified man gang-raped her.

ARRESTED: Faisalabad FIA team arrested two human traffickers involved in sending people to Europe through illegal means.

A press release said Muzaffar and Ilyas were arrested from Chiniot and Okara, respectively, while fake visas of Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Dubai were also recovered from their custody. The team disclosed that both the suspects were in contact the gangs in Libya.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2025