Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz on Thursday inaugurated the harvesting of Bhang crop in Rawat, Rawalpindi while announcing that the government will issue licence for its cultivation in the country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The science minister inaugurated the reaping of the government-sponsored Bhang cultivation project. The plant which has narcotic and hallucinogenic element in it was cultivated at one-acre piece of land in Rawat and the crop got ready in three months.
While talking to media, the minister said that the government allowed Bhang cultivation on a piece of land at the Arid University, Rawalpindi, in August. Now the time has come to reap it, he added.
He said they got Bhang plant from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit and now with the addition of Bhang, the growers would have a variety of crops.
The science minister was of the view that the plant is used in the preparation of medicines. He said it was a wrong impression that Bhang was used only for intoxication. He emphasized its medicinal value saying that the products which are made from Bhang are being used as medicines.
Mr Faraz said that the industrial fibre Bhang could also be imported. He believed with the cultivation of Bhang, the country would get 10 times more profit and there would be a visible reduction in its use as an intoxicating drug.
The minister opined that we should keep in mind our country’s interest and take measures that could result in its economic development.
He informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan also launched a campaign for the cultivation of olive plant. Now its cultivation has started, he added.
He said that the government wanted to patronize such projects. He said the most expensive part of Bhang was its seed. He said the government was also working on ginger cultivation.
He revealed that the government was bringing National Sign Innovation Policy. He hailed his Science Ministry team and informed that a big science technology fair was being held in January.
He said that Bhang’s turnover was tremendous and his ministry would take care of its licencing.
Bhang has traditionally been used in the East for the treatment of fever, to cure dysentery problem, sunstroke, clear phlegm, help in digestion, boost appetite, cure speech imperfections and give alertness to the body.
Reporter Saba Bajeer