Science and Technology minister directs halal board development

Federal minister for science and technology (S&T) Mir Changez Khan Jamali said work on Pakistan Halal Product Development Board (PHPDB) would be expedited and all bureaucratic hurdles will be removed. He was speaking at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Monday. Federal minister said there were some technical issues that delayed the issuance of notification regarding establishment of PHPDB, but he had directed his additional secretary to sit down with LCCI and sort out all issues coming in the way of establishment of PHPDB.
Jamali said allocation for science and technology sector would be increased in the coming budget and it would touch to one per cent of GDP in 2015 to help the country in joining the club of technologically advanced nations.
He regretted that low allocations for vital sectors, like science and technology, had kept the country dependent on developed world despite the fact that country had no dearth of resources. The minister said innovation was a key to economic competitiveness. Research institutions and researchers would have to come forward to bridge the gap by developing world-class technologies.
He said, “Science and technology exhibitions provide a marketplace to showcase S&T innovations, products, projects, services and solutions in different industrial sectors. These exhibitions enable the industrial experts and researchers from across the country to identify joint objectives, activities and initiatives and to place focus on industrial science and technology related problems and their solutions as well as promote S&T partnerships for global sustainable development.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said that to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it was really very unfortunate that despite enormous human and material resources, the Muslim world was still counted as backwards due to lack of scientific and technological advancement. Similarly, Pakistan has not been able to earn that status in the world of S&T that it deserved. Pakistan had yet to be placed at some respectable position in the innovation index because of low end production of cheap goods and inefficient energy consumption ratio. In view of current resource constraint, there is need to utilise existing resources optimally through reorganising R&D infrastructure and moving towards knowledge economy to rectify the dismal situation. Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said that the country desperately needs to work for stimulating and managing the flow of knowledge and technology amongst universities, R&D institutes towards the industry. “We must build human capital and invest in science and technology to get parallel with rest of the world.”
While stressing the need for setting up of technology parks in Pakistan, LCCI President said that technology parks in various countries are doing great job in spreading fruits of Science & Technology across their respective regions. But unfortunately, this idea could not gain much popularity in Pakistan. We still need to make best use of this idea.
Today, Pakistan is facing challenges of fast track national economic growth, poverty alleviation, better quality of life and economic independence. Even after more than six decades of its creation, Pakistan still remains a producer of primary commodities. The fact is that unlike India, we have neglected the education sector for quite a long time especially in the area of S&T.
LCCI president urged the federal minister to arrange greater share of funds in budget for advancement of Science & Technology. Pakistan greatly needs to invest in science and technology to achieve the desired goals as science and technology is central to the dynamics of economic development itself. He emphasised the need to conduct modem scientific research, increase skill development and make innovation as integral part of technological system of the country for the sake of strengthening the economy.
Former LCCI president Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, LCCI executive committee member Husnain Reza Mirza and former EC member Haroon Shafique also spoke on the occasion.