ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology has formulated Pakistan’s first hemp policy for the cultivation of Bhang for medicinal and industrial use. Under the National Hemp Policy that has been forwarded to the federal cabinet for approval, regulatory authority will be set up with one-window operation to facilitate investors. The government has been receiving uncountable applications for the cultivation of hemp leaves, Minister of Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said in a statement. In the first phase, 100 firms were given licences for the purpose, he added. The minister said hemp policy has been formulated in consultation with all the stakeholders, including the education, commerce, and anti-narcotics ministries. He pointed out the policy has been devised for the cultivation of medicinal and industrial hemp. He further said boundary walls would be erected around hemp fields and CCTV cameras installed for their monitoring. In Pakistan, a large number of people prefer herbal and traditional medical treatments to more advanced scientific ones since they assume that herbal cures do not have side effects. Many of these individuals also use CBD that is usually extracted at home. Hemp is used to extract a compound called CBD or Cannabidiol that is widely used for medical and therapeutic purposes.