ISLAMABAD, Nov 27 : Pakistan has launched its first public-private genomics joint venture, receiving strong support from Chinese scientific institutions and technology partners.
The initiative, unveiled Tuesday at the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB), is a collaboration between NIGAB, PARC-Agro Tech Company (PATCO), and Blazon Diagnostics, Gwadar Pro reported on Thursday.
A Chinese delegation of researchers attended the inauguration at NARC, pledging “their full support toward the success of this pioneering initiative.”
The event marked a new phase in China-Pakistan collaboration in high-tech biotechnology, especially in agriculture and diagnostics.
Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr. Syed Murtaza Hassan Andrabi, called the project a milestone for Pakistan’s scientific development, launched under the guidance of the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFS&R), Rana Tanveer Hussain.
“By developing indigenous genomic capabilities, we are laying the foundation for self-reliance in advanced research and diagnostics,” said Dr. Andrabi. “This initiative will accelerate innovation that directly benefits our farmers, researchers, and healthcare sector.”
Chinese researchers welcomed the project as a natural extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reflecting shared goals to modernize agriculture through technology.
The venture is expected to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on foreign DNA sequencing services, save foreign exchange, and open new channels for China-Pakistan cooperation in biosciences.
China’s agricultural technology is already widely used in NARC. A Chinese JDF 1304 tractor (JDAF NG) was deployed on Tuesday for regenerative wheat planting, while a day before a rice harvesting was conducted using a Chinese rice harvester, highlighting China’s growing role in agricultural modernization.
