Govt has increased science, technology budget by 600pc: Fawad.

KARACHI -- Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Hussain Chaudhry said on Monday that the federal ministry of science and technology had made a 600 percent increase in its development budget.

The federal minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the four-day 7th International Symposium-Cum-Training Course on Molecular Medicine and Drug Research held at Prof Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium, organised by Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), Karachi University.

Over 700 scientists, including 100 scientists from 35 countries, including Turkey, Iran, Iraq, China, Egypt, Syria, Italy, Nigeria, Greece, USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Sweden, New Zealand, Hungry, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Thailand, Oman, Cameron, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal etc are attending the event.

'Pakistan is heading towards the manufacturing of solar and lithium batteries, as Chinese companies ready to set up solar energy plants in Pakistan,' Fawad said. The problem of drinking water in Karachi will be resolved in the next 16 months. The recent sit-in protest of JUI-F diminished the attention of the international community towards Kashmir issue, he lamented. He said it was imperative for students of pure sciences to study the ideas of philosophers and social thinkers to know the science of society.

Fawad Chaudhry pointed out that science and education come first in the priorities of the government, as the science and tech ministry was going to create strong coordination among the country's best 15 research institutions for the promotion of science and research culture. Around 600 percent increase in the budget of science and technology showed the sincerity of the government towards science and research. He informed the participants that the government was prioritising the education at school and college level.

Talking to media, he lamented that Pakistan's initiative to highlight the Kashmir issue in the international community got weakened due to the sit-in protest of JUI-F. He pointed out that there was no comparison between PTI sit-in and the recent, as PTI first knocked on the doors of courts and commissions. After making all the efforts, PTI was forced to observe a sit-in protest.

The minister also welcomed the large number of foreign delegates, and said that he was pleased to see a large number of foreign scientists participating in the prestigious symposium. This...