April 5, 2008
Biotechnology least utilised in Pakistan
correspondent
Dr Anwar Nasim, Chairman, Federation of Asian Biotechnology Associations (FABA), has expressed his disappointment about the fact that Biotechnology, one of the most important emerging sciences in the world, was least utilised in Pakistan. “Brazil, China, Cuba and India are the four developing countries that have realised the importance of this technology and using it to maximum potential”, he commented.
Dr Nasim who is also the Adviser (Science) to the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), was speaking on the occasion of launch of the book titled ‘Global Status of Commercialised Biotech/GM Crops: 2007’ compiled by Clive James, Chair, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at the LEJ National Science Information Centre (LEJ NSIC), University of Karachi (KU) on Friday. The Centre had called a press conference to coincide with the book launch and informed the journalists about the Pakistan Biotechnology Centre (PABIC) that has been established in the LEJ NSIC to create awareness about the biotechnology and encourage new inventions to use it in its full capacity.
Dr Nasim informed the journalists that Biotechnology Information Centre (BIC) has its presence in 25 countries globally and Pakistan too needed one. PABIC was established to bring the country on the map of world biotechnology. Talking about the importance of biotechnology, Dr Nasim said that “biotechnology was the direct link with the living things”. Responding to a question about not using the technology in the country, he said that it was due to ‘mutual negation’, meaning people of Pakistan erase even the best efforts of other people.
Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Director, (PABIC) welcomed the journalists and talked about the importance of biotechnology in our lives. “Biotechnology, if used appropriately, has the potential to provide healthier foods, reduce dependence on fossil fuel, and offer more effective cure of the prevalent diseases and fatal disease”, he said.
Dr Iqbal said the world’s richest nations dominated the biotechnology scenes, they had benefited from this emerging science, in terms of jobs generation, increased national wealth, and better healthcare for the masses. “Developing countries hardly have any contribution in the knowledge generation. In fact, only very little knowledge and capacity exist to harness the tremendous potential of biotechnology, which can help in meeting the national needs,” he said.
Source by: The Nation