Umbreen Turk
ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi Tuesday underlined the need for developing the human resource through promotion of scientific education and research to confront the growing key issues being faced by Pakistan and the other developing countries alike.
Addressing an event to celebrate the silver jubilee celebrations of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) at the Aiwan e Sadr, he said the developing countries including Pakistan had been facing challenges like population, bio-degradation, education, dilapidation of environment, research, water and malnutrition etc.
The President stressed that the developing countries required to change their direction and focus on the development of human resources, and equip with the latest knowledge of science and technology.
He noted with regret that the situation worldwide was even worst in terms of disproportionate destruction of natural resources. “The human beings required to rethink over its footprints it had left behind so far,” he added. The President referred to the latest research reports over the issues like reduction of diversity in nature life by 30 to 40 per cent and the carbon load in the oceans and reduction of oxygen etc. which posed alarming challenges.
He regretted that the over-exploitation of fish stock in Pakistan had also affected its population.
The dumping, wastage of stuff in the daily life by the developed countries and their growing consumerism also posed serious challenges as the many countries in the third world lacked resources to recycle them, he added. The President observed that besides these issues, the growing chasm between the rich and poor was also widening.
According to the latest research report, the President said, it painted a gloomy picture for the human race, predicting that ‘the human race has been destroying its habitat’. All these issues could be overcome with adequate development of manpower and human resource through close cooperation among the countries as these would ultimately benefit the humanity, he added.
The President said due to immense opportunities in the realm of science and technology, Pakistan required to jump onto that train.“We need research and knowledge-based economy and here comes the significant role of the educational institutes like COMSATS,” he opined. The President said they required to prepare Pakistan for the future in the latest technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence etc. The event was largely attended by diplomats, representatives of the COMSATS member countries, academics and researchers besides, faculty members.
