ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) is working to improve agriculture for ensuring self-sufficiency in all major food crops and reducing the reliance on imported food items. This was stated by PARC Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali, while addressing a ceremony organized by the Employees Association of PARC (EAPARC), said a press release on Friday. Dr Ali said that from the outset, PARC focused on agriculture as 70% of the country’s population and 45% of the employment was depending on agriculture sector. Owing to the hard-work of the agri scientists, Pakistan had become self-sufficient in all major food items like wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize, he said while assuring that the scientists were always ready to take any challenge faced by the agricultural sector in Pakistan. The Chairman also highlighted the steps taken to resolve the issue of contract employees regarding their regularization. Deputy Director-General NARC Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Secretary PARC Muhammad Ishaq, PARC’s technical members, employees, and scientists were also present on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Director-General NARC Dr. Imtiaz Hussain said that under the patronage of Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, PARC had been playing an outstanding role in agricultural research and development. The scientists of PARC were engaged in achieving the agricultural goals of the country under modern agricultural research system so that the country could move towards agricultural self-sufficiency. The President of EAPARC Liaqat Ali Wahla assured that the association will continue its efforts to promote scientific research and dissemination of knowledge at the doorstep of farmers. He also thanked the Chairman PARC and all other senior management for providing promotion opportunities to the PARC’s employees.