Minister of State for Science and Technology Rahila Shahadat Baloch said Monday that we should promote the culture of innovation and invention to provide jobs to our youth as well as to put the country on the path of economic prosperity.
She was addressing the one-day ‘Invention to Innovation Summit 2012’ organized by the University of Punjab, in collaboration with the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and the Institute for Research Promotion (IRP).
PU VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran presided over the ceremony; while Chairman PSF Dr Manzoor Soomro, former chairman PSF Dr Farid Malik and CEO IRP Abid H.K Sherwani expressed their views on the occasion.
The minister said that China and India were on the path of progress by adopting the innovative technologies. She said that universities should promote the culture of research.
Addressing the ceremony, VC Dr Mujahid Kamran said that the illiterate nations were bound to be destroyed and dominated by literate nations; therefore the first word of the Holy Quran “Iqra” urges the mankind to read.
He said the nations who ponder and think carefully before taking decisions always remained successful.
He highlighted the importance of education and emphasized that the government should spend at least 4 to 5 percent of GDP on the education sector if our nation was to stand among the developed nations of the world.
Dr Manzoor Soomro said that there should be a consistency in the government policies which should be made and implemented in the national interest.
He said that despite the financial constraints, PSF was working for the promotion of science and technology in the country and its doors were open for all the stake holders including the private sector also. He further said that they were planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for developing a close liaison between PSF and LCCI.
Dr Farid Malik in his key note address suggested that there should be a major restructuring in the ministry of science and technology.
He also suggested that the Pakistan Technology Board should be revived. He said that we should change the perception that science was a romance and not finance. He also said that research should be used for the public welfare.
In his concluding remarks, Institute of Chemical & Engineering Technology Director Prof Dr Aamir Ijaz thanked the participants of the workshop.
PU CAD to pay tribute to Ustad Mehdi Hassan today: Punjab University College of Art & Design will organize a Condolence Ceremony to pay tribute to great Ghazal singer Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan on Tuesday (today), June 19 at 6:30pm at the college’s hall.
