The recent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to discuss livestock-sector reforms, restructuring of the Livestock and Dairy Development Board, control of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), and establishment of a modern vaccine production facility raises a fundamental question: after nearly 80 years of independence, why does Pakistan still appear so dependent on foreign expertise to develop a sector in which we have invested decades in educating our own professionals?

What is particularly disturbing is that, during the Prime Minister’s meeting, the need to engage qualified and renowned foreign experts was repeatedly emphasised. This raises a serious question about our national priorities. After nearly eight decades of independence, are we still incapable of developing our own experts? If we continue to rely on foreign specialists today, what guarantee is there that we will not remain dependent after another 80 years? Are we prepared to continue importing expertise indefinitely, perhaps until the Day of Judgment, rather than invest seriously in training, empowering, and trusting our own scientists?

Pakistan has highly qualified veterinary scientists, PhD scholars, microbiologists, virologists, animal breeders, dairy specialists, and livestock economists. Our universities and research institutions have produced generations of professionals. The real problem may not be a shortage of knowledge but our failure to recognise, organise, and utilise national expertise effectively.

Foreign experts can contribute valuable knowledge, but their role should be to build Pakistani capacity, not replace it permanently. If we lack specialised expertise for establishing a modern vaccine production facility, why not send promising Pakistani scientists to internationally recognised institutions for advanced training? Foreign specialists can be engaged for a defined period to transfer technology, train local teams, commission the facility, and establish quality-control systems. The objective should not merely be to build a vaccine factory; it should be to develop a Pakistani team capable of operating, maintaining, and improving it independently. Foreign expertise should be a bridge to self-reliance, not a permanent substitute for national competence.

The proposed restructuring of the Livestock and Dairy Development Board also demands serious scrutiny. Has the meeting examined why this institution has remained largely ineffective for decades? Before restructuring it, the government should commission an independent performance audit covering its expenditure, projects, achievements, and failures. The findings should determine whether the Board can be revived through professional leadership and clear accountability or whether fundamental redesign is necessary. Reorganisation without an honest assessment of past performance risks repeating the same failures under a new administrative structure.

Another critical issue is Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a major animal-health challenge and a serious barrier to expanding Pakistan’s livestock and dairy exports. The press release concerning the meeting did not mention FMD, raising the question of whether this vital issue received adequate attention. A subsequent report published on 23 October stated that the Prime Minister had directed the preparation of a time-bound plan for FMD eradication. This is welcome, but announcements must be followed by practical measures, dedicated resources, measurable targets, and clear accountability. Without effective disease control and compliance with internationally recognised animal-health standards, Pakistan’s ambitions to access more lucrative export markets will remain constrained.

Lumpy Skin Disease also requires a coordinated national response, including reliable vaccines, effective surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, organised vaccination campaigns, farmer awareness, and cooperation between federal and provincial authorities. The proposed vaccine facility should form part of a broader strategy for veterinary vaccine self-reliance rather than become an isolated infrastructure project.

Pakistan needs a national livestock development strategy led by competent Pakistani professionals, supported by scientific research, merit-based appointments, adequate funding, and measurable outcomes. Our universities must be connected more closely with farms, farmers, industry, and policymakers so that research translates into practical solutions and economic growth.

The livestock sector supports millions of rural livelihoods and holds enormous potential for food security, employment, and foreign exchange. Its progress should not be measured by the number of meetings held, foreign consultants hired, or buildings constructed, but by healthier animals, reduced disease losses, higher productivity, improved farmer incomes, and growing exports.

After nearly eight decades of independence, Pakistan must move from dependence to self-reliance. We should learn from the world, but build our own capacity. Our scientists deserve not only recognition but also the authority, resources, and opportunities to deliver results. If we continue to depend on foreign experts without developing our own, we will have no one to blame but ourselves for remaining dependent for generations to come. Pakistan has the talent; what it urgently needs is the confidence and political will to use it.

Dr Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor Academics, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat
Former Financial Advisor, Finance Division, Government of Pakistan