Pakistan has to wake up now and devote everything to educate the country’s youth for its economic prosperity. This was stated by Prof Dr M Masoom Yasinzai, the vice chancellor of the Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad and a member of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Board of Trustees here on Tuesday. He was addressing a function organised by PSF to celebrate World Science Day (WSD). Dr Yasinzai urged the media and other departments concerned to give due importance to science since no nation could make its position in the comity of nations without progress in that field. He called upon the students to excel in science if they wanted to see Pakistan as a developed country and competitive in the world. “Our youth are our biggest treasure and we need to put them on right track so that they could play their role in socio-economic development of the country. We don’t need aid if we work hard as our youth having a great potential can perform miracles,” he said.
Dr Yasinzai said out of 55 million youth of the country, only one million could get higher education at university level. He said there was a need to increase that number. He deplored the lack of political will in that regard. He said continuity of policies was a must despite change of governments to achieve this objective. Addressing on this occasion, PSF Chairman Dr Manzoor H Soomro said, the day was observed all over the world on November 10 to mark the breathtaking achievements of man in science and technology and PSF observed that day every year in a befitting manner. He said this year the event was delayed due to Eidul Azha holidays in Pakistan. Dr Soomro said PSF was actively engaged in popularisation of science in the country through different means including science caravan exhibitions in schools and colleges across the country.
He said that in order to achieve scientific development and use it for the betterment of mankind, Pakistan along with other countries of the world was observing the “World Science Day for Peace and Development”. He said the purpose of World Science Day was to renew the commitment to science for peace and development and to stress the reasonable use of science for the benefit of society as postulated by the World Conference on Science in 1999. He said UNESCO during the General Conference at its 31st session (2001) had proclaimed November 10 each year as “World Science Day for Peace and Development”. Initially, the proposal was given by Eminent Pakistani Scientist Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, the Planning Commission advisor, he added.
