Pakistan, Sept. 3 -- The federal cabinet has approved the production of industrial hemp by the government in a decision that could result in a $1 billion market for Pakistan in the future, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday, a private TV channel reported.

The minister had first announced the decision on Tuesday on Twitter, saying the cabinet had approved the first license for the science and technology ministry and the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) for industrial and medical use of hemp. He said the "landmark decision" would place Pakistan in the international cannabidiol (CBD) market worth billions of dollars.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Chaudhry said so...