ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Prof. Dr Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday termed political stability and continuity of policies as essential for achieving economic development in the country. “If you want to continue playing in the political theatre; you cannot bring positive reforms in the economic theatre”, he said while speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the landmark of China-Pakistan Space Science and Technology cooperation on the eve of the return of Pakistani Seeds from Chinese Space at COMSTECH auditorium. The ceremony was arranged by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Pakistan, COMSTECH and the International Center for Chemical and Biological Center, University of Karachi. This space mutagenesis for crop improvement project was jointly collaborated by the People’s Republic of China, the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) under the ministry, and the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi. Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal said that strong efforts were needed to overcome the challenge of economic crisis inherited by the ineffective policies of the previous government. “As a nation where we stand today; we have to decide either to support polarization, disorder or conflict in the country or uphold the principles of unity and solidarity”, he said. Ahsan Iqbal said that the secrets behind China’s success lie in stability, social solidarity and continuity of policies which helped the country achieving progress on all fronts. The federal minister stated that space technology is one of those technologies which are most critical for human development and security. All the sectors including health, education, agriculture, forestry, climate change etc. are interlinked with the space technology for advancement. “We need to build capacity of our researchers and scientists to utilize space technology for managing all these sectors otherwise we will not be able to manage human resources efficiently and defend our country in future”, he added. Since space technology and its application is capital intensive and require sufficient resources for which economic stability is important to achieve, he observed. It is very unfortunate that our country has lagged behind in the field of research and technology, he lamented while stressing the need of utilizing the potential of youth for the advancement in this field. “Pakistani young scientists can help country regain the past glory in science and technology”, the federal minister stated. About the “Seeds in Space” project, Ahsan Iqbal said this project is a milestone in collaborations between scientists of both countries. The project provides a platform for researchers to share knowledge and resources, leading to economic growth. This project is a cornerstone in advancing space science, herbal medicine, and research. He said that Pakistan and China celebrate their longstanding friendship with the launch of a joint project between MOST, Chinese government, the Embassy of China in Pakistan, ICCBS Karachi, the Pakistan Science Foundation, and COMSTECH. The two countries have maintained a strong relationship since establishing diplomatic ties in 1951 and are dedicated to furthering cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. This new project solidifies their commitment to strengthening the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” between the two nations.”