By Shehzad khan
MINGORA: To highlight the importance of medicinal plants grown in Swat, a two-day national symposium kicked off here on Thursday.
The symposium titled “National Symposium on Economic Development through Plants Cultivation” organized by the Swat University’s Centre for Plant Science and Biodiversity. Swat University vice chancellor Dr Jehan Bakht presided over the symposium and was attended by teachers of Quaid Azam University and Agriculture University Peshawar, Heads Of the various departments, faculty members and students of Swat University.
After inaugurating the event Dr Jehan Bakth said that Swat valley was not only bestowed upon the natural beauty, it also held a peculiar status of producing various types of medicinal plants that could not be found anywhere else.
“We can’t undermine the importance of medicinal plants in the contemporary sciences,” he said, adding that proper and timely use of it can protect peoples’ health from different diseases.”
He stressed need of proper research work in medicinal plants and said the faculty members should encourage students and provide them with assistance and support in their research work.
“Proper researches are essential for the speedy growth and industrialization of medicinal plants,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Swati vice chancellor of the Agriculture University Peshawar, said the landscape of Pakistan, in general, and of Swat valley, in particular, was enriched with all kinds of natural resources, which were, so far, not tapped into uses.
“Awareness campaign and research work both are necessary to raise awareness among the people and make good use of these naturally gifted resources,” he said.
Highlighting the economic importance of medicinal plants he said the total global market business of medicinal plants stood at 60 billion US dollars, in which part of the Swat district is 66.6 Million Rupees.
Meanwhile Dr Naveeda Akhtar, Dr Ashiq Ahmad, Professor Dr Abdur Rasheed were also present on the occasion and addressed the participants on the importance of medicinal plants.
