KARACHI: An eminent scientist and former Science and Technology Federal Minister Prof Dr Atta- ur-Rehman has said that knowledge-based economy is the need of the hour.
He was speaking as a chief guest at the inaugural session of the 32nd IEEEP Multi-Topic Symposium here on Wednesday.
The two-day moot is being held under the auspices of the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Pakistan (IEEEP).
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a large number of engineers, academics and industry executives.
Prof Dr Atta- Ur- Rehman, who had also served as the chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), on the occasion stressed the need for knowledge-based economy and gave the examples of Singapore and China which, he said, invested in their youth by sending them abroad to universities and on their return the countries were able to achieve phenomenal growth.
He said Pakistan has a great potential in its youth but it has not been fully utilised.
Prof Atta, during his talk, presented on the latest technologies available in the world from human organs regeneration to manufacturing of body parts by 3D printing.
He lamented the fact that Muslim countries were lagging far behind in research and discovery.
Earlier, Karachi IEEEP Chairman Engr Mohammad Asif Siddiqui welcomed the chief guest and outlined the services of the IEEEP to the engineering profession.
He said students would also be presenting interesting papers in this symposium.
32nd Multi-Topic Symposium organising Committee Chairman Engr Irfan Ahmed outlined the schedule of the programme for two days and complimented the young students who he said would be presenting exciting and innovative papers in the symposium.
