Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the establishment of shrimp estates covering 5,600 acres in Sargodha and Alipur, marking the province’s largest Blue Economy initiative to date. Officials said that initial work in Sargodha on 20 acres includes nine shrimp ponds and a 5,320-metre drainage system, with surveys completed for an additional 10 acres for future expansion. A state-of-the-art quality control laboratory in Lahore, costing Rs4.5 billion, is 99% complete, while a research lab in Muzaffargarh is 98% ready. Recruitment exams for 100 interns have already been conducted. To strengthen technical expertise, Pakistani specialists have trained in Saudi Arabia and Mexico, while foreign experts including Jeffrey and Jamie Dominguez have visited to provide guidance. So far, 32 tubewells and eight transformers have been installed, and shrimp seeds released in 64 research ponds. Key developments include a 124-acre shrimp estate in Chak No. 58, Sargodha, with 57 ponds excavated, and land levelling over 2,507 acres in Rakh Ali Wali, Muzaffargarh, with 57 ponds and 50 tubewells completed. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the project will transform barren and saline lands, boost exports, and create thousands of employment opportunities for youth in Punjab. APP
