Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Syed Shibli Faraz Thursday said that Pakistan needs to diversify its export basket from a textile dominated to an innovation led export. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the first ‘International Conference on General Chemistry; From Fundamentals to Applications’ held at COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI).

The two days international conference is being jointly organized by Karakorum International University, Gilgit-Baltistan and Department of Chemistry CUI-Islamabad Campus.

Shibli Faraz in his remarks highlighted the role of the government in bringing forward legislation on industrial hemp to enable Pakistan to benefit from the emerging industry around the plant.

He said that the present government believes in investing in the future generation on Science and Technology as well as imparting relevant skills to enable young students to contribute to the national economy.

Shibli Faraz said that the government will reward scientists conducting solution-oriented research that results in tangible products, innovation and commercializable patents.

He also said that the total global herbal trade is currently assessed at US$ 120 billion, and Pakistan needs to devise a strategy to exploit the potential of medicinal plants to become part of this global market.

Shibli Faraz lauded the efforts of CUI for reaching out and enabling capacity building of remote universities like KIU and said that the efforts of universities must be to become economic hubs.

Earlier, welcoming the participants of the conference, Rector COMSATS University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Muhammad T. Afzal called on researchers to focus on local problems and engage in product-oriented research.

Citing the example of Tesla Energy, he said that, a single corporation was able to amass revenues and create several thousand jobs during the covid pandemic. Furthermore, Prof. Afzal said that by understanding the chemistry of a single plant like industrial hemp, the west has built a billion-dollar sustainable industry around products like hemp-oil, biochar, biodiesel, pharmaceuticals, textiles, fertilizer, water cleaning adsorbents, bio-ethanol, Hemp-lime concrete and paper.

Prof. Atta Ullah Shah, Vice Chancellor KIU in his remarks about building cooperation in research informed how KIU was transforming skills of students of the northern areas.

He said exchanges and cooperation between remote and urban universities enables capacity building for both universities and is healthy for national integration.

Prof. Atta highlighted the need for research on medicinal plants in order to benefit from the potential of diverse flora and fauna of the northern areas of Pakistan.

Dr. Sana Sabahat, Chair of the Conference, informed the audience about key lectures from International Professors as well as highlights of research work being presented at the conference.

Over 100 participants of the conference including students, researchers, faculty members from various universities were present in the inaugural ceremony.