Cotton for the Future: Innovation, Sustainability & Global Impact

Join us in commemorating World Cotton Day with an inspiring series of lectures by esteemed researchers and pioneers in cotton science. Discover the latest advancements, innovative breeding strategies, and the vital role of cotton in sustainable agriculture and global economies

THEMES

Biotechnology, Breeding and Trait Improvements

Sustainable Cotton Production and Protection

Climate Resilient Cotton

Cotton Role in National and Global Economies

CONFERENCE INTRODUCTION

Cotton is more than just a fibre-it’s a lifeline for more than one million farmers in Pakistan, very crucial pillar of textile industry, and a symbol of innovation Cotton is known as white Gold as it contributes significantly to Pakistan’s economy, livelihood, and exports. As the world faces new challenges-climate change, pest pressures, sustainability demands, cotton scientists must come together to ensure productivity, resilience, and environmental harmony

The International Cotton Conference 2025, held in celebration of International Cotton Day, brings together leading minds from research, industry and policy to chart the path forward for cotton science. With a strong focus on biotechnology, sustainability, and collaborative innovation, this two-day event will showcase cutting-edge research, foster dialogue across sectors, and celebrate the cultural and economic importance of cotton in Pakistan and beyond. Whether you’re a scientist, farmer, student, or policymaker, this conference offers a platform to engage, learn, and contribute to the future of cotton

ORGANIZERS

Patron in Chief

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali

Vice Chancellor, PU, Lahore

Patron

Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman

Director CEMB

CO-ORGANIZER

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary

H.I., S.I., T.I., Mustafa (PBUH) Prize Laureate
Coordinator General COMSTECH

FOCAL PERSONS

Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao

Professor

Dr Allah Bakhsh

Associate Professor

COORDINATOR

Dr. Bushra Rashid

Professor

Organizing Committee

Dr Sameera Hassan

Associate Professor

Dr Usman Arif

Assistant Professor

Dr Abdul Munim Farooq

Assistant Professor

Dr Naila Shahid

Assistant Professor

Dr Ayesha Latif

Assistant Professor

Dr Saira Azam

Assistant Professor

Dr Aneela Yasmeen

Assistant Professor

Dr Farah Naz

Assistant Professor

Dr Tahir Rehman Samiullah

Assistant Professor

Dr Muhammad Tariq Rao

Research Officer

Mr. Faheem Akram

Research Officer

International Speakers

USA

Dr. Muhammad Aslam Bhatti

Senior Consultant
Hjelle Consulting Group

China

Prof. Dr. Rui ZHANG

Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI)
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

China

Prof. Dr. Chengzhen LIANG

Crop Biotechnology and Breeding
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Egypt

Prof. Dr. Mohamed A M Negm

Professor
Head of Department at Cotton Research Institute (CRI)

Turkiye

Dr. Cuma Karaoglu

Biotechnology Research Center
Central Research Institute for Field Crops
Ankara/Türkiye

Turkiye

Dr. Mustafa Coray Sismek

Director, Cotton Research Institute
Nazilli Aydin, Türkiye

Azerbaijan

Dr. Ruhengiz Mammadova

Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan Republic
Genetic Resources Institute, Baku, Azerbaijan

Uzbekistan

Dr. Abdusalom Makamov

Cotton Scientist The Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan

Bangladesh

Akhre Alam Ibne Tabib

Executive Director
Cotton Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh

Australia

Dr. Sambasivam Periyannan

Associate Professor
Crop Molecular Genetics
School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Sydney Australia

Uzbekistan

Dr. Fakhriddin Kushanov

Institute of Genetics and Plants Experimental Biology Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan

Dr. Dilnur Tussipkan

National Centre for Biotechnology
Astana, Kazakhstan

National Spekaers

Dr. Yusuf Zafar

Vice President
Pakistan Central Cotton Committee Multan

Dr. Shaukat Ali

Director
National Institute of Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology
National Agriculture Research Council

Dr. Muhammad Tehseen Azhar

Associate Professor
Department of Agriculture and Genetics
University of Agriculture, Faislabad

Dr. Mehboob ur Rahman

Chief Scientist
National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad

Dr. M Kashif Riaz Khan

Chief Scientist
Nuclear Institute of Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad

Dr. Ghulam Sarwar

Director
Cotton Research Institute, Multan

Dr. Rabia Saeed

Head
Department of Plant Protection
Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan

Dr. Shahid Mansoor, SI

Senior Advisor
International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences
University of Karachi

Prof. Dr. Sultan Habibullah

Centre of Excellence in Genome Editing
Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

Dr. Javed Hassan

Cotton Advisor
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Islamabad

Dr. Muhammad Naeem

Registrar
Plant Breeders Right Registry, Islamabad

Email: registrar@pbrr.gov.pk

Dr. Muhammad Faisal

Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
MNS University of Agriculture
Multan

Guests from National and International Agencies

Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui

Federal Minister
Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training,

Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi

Federal Minister for Science and Technology
Islamabad

Dr. Musadik Masood Malik

Federal Minister
Ministry of Climate Change

Syed M Ashiq Hussain Kirmani

Minister for Agriculture Punjab

Sardar M Bux Khan Mahar

Minister
Agriculture, Supply & Prices Department
Government of Sindh

Mr. Nadeem Mahbub

Secretary
Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training

Iftikhar Ali Sahoo

Secretary Agriculture
Punjab

Prof. Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik

Dean
KAM School of Life Sciences
Forman Christian College University, Lahore
Email: kausermalik@fccollege.edu.pk

Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad

Chairman
Higher Education Commission, Islamabad

Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan

Chairperson
Punjab Higher Education Commission

Prof. Dr. Asif Ali

Vice Chancellor
MNS University of Agriculture, Multan

Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali

Vice Chancellor
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

Email: vc@uaf.edu.pk

Nazia Zab Ali

Director General
Pakistan EPA Climate Change, Islamabad
Email: dg.epa@punjab.gov.pk

Dr. Abid Mehmood

Chief Executive
PARB

Prof. Dr. Akram Sheikh

Member Science (PSF)
Director General (PASTIC)

Dr. Mirza Habib Ali

Member Finance
Director (Research Support)
Pakistan Science Foundation
Islamabad

Dr. Muhammad Azam Khan

Director General
Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, Islamabad
Email: dghq@federalseed.gov.pk

Dr. Sajid ur Rehman

Director General
Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) Faisalabad
Email: dr.sajid@yahoo.com

Advisory Board

Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik ^{TI, SI, HT} Ex federal minister for NFSR
Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Chairperson, Punjab Higher Education Commission
Dr. Yusuf Zafar ^{SI, TI} Ex-Chairman PARC, Ex-Director NIBGE
Prof. Dr. Asif Ali Khan ^TI, Chairperson, National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA)
Dr. Tassawar Hussain Malik, National Cotton Coordinator, PCCC
Dr. Anjum Ali Butter, Former DG Extension
Dr. Abid Mehmood, Chairman, PARB
Prof. Dr. Tayyab Husnain ^{TI, IF} Ex Director CEMB
Prof. Dr. Ahmad Ali Shahid, Ex Director CEMB
Prof. Dr. Idrees Ahmad Nasir, Ex cotton scientist CEMB
Dr. Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Ex Additional Secretary, Ex Managing Director, Punjab Seed Corporation
Dr. Shaukat Ali, Director, National Institute of Genomics and Advanced Biotechnologies (NIGAB), NARC, Islamabad
Dr. Sajid-ur-Rahman, Director General, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad