KARACHI: Ambassador of France in Pakistan Marc Barety said on Friday said that France and Pakistan will further improve relations by exploring more areas of collaboration and cooperation in fields of research and education.
He expressed these views during a meeting with University of Karachi’s (KU)International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) Director Iqbal Choudhary, ICCBS Patron-in-Chief Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, the former federal minister for science and technology and ex-chairman higher education commission.
“The French government will award scholarships to Pakistani scholars. Scientists of both the countries will work together on the research fronts,” he announced.
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asian Affairs Deputy Director Sonia Barbry, Karachi Consul General Didier Talpain, Counselor for Development and Cultural Cooperation André de Bussy, Director Alliance Francaise Gilles Pascal and other French officials were also present on the occasion.
The French ambassador said that France-Pakistan friendship would now focus on the promotion of science and technology. The initiative focuses to further strengthen the bilateral relations in the field of science and technology between both the countries, he added.
The ambassador along with the French delegation paid a visit to different research facilities provided at ICCBS. He appreciated the efforts made by Dr Atta-ur-Rahman and Iqbal Choudhary to get the international centre on the way of development.
It was decided at the meeting that French government will award 10 scholarships for development of the faculty at KU Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD).
In the meeting, Iqbal Choudhary offered the French government to send their students to ICCBS for their research training in natural product chemistry, as ICCBS has already trained hundreds of German students in the same area. He said that ICCBS and French research institutions have strong mutual research tradition.
Dr Atta-ur Rahman said that both countries should expand further academic association in days to come. He appreciated the French government efforts to award scholarships for Pakistani scholars and said that French scientist should come to ICCBS to have joint research work with Pakistani scientists.
He also discussed the possibility of setting up French technical university in Pakistan.