STAFF REPORT IBD: The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) in collaboration with IUCN will set up a need-based research incubator and in this connection the latter has assured cooperation and facilitation. Besides, both the sides will further expand areas of cooperation for conservation of bio-diversity.
Most recently, IUCN Regional Director Aban Marker Kabraji, has held a meeting Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid in Islamabad where they discussed the establishment of the research incubator and various other matters of mutual interest for conservation of nature in Pakistan.
The matters pertaining to development of Red List of endangered species in Pakistan, taping capacity of scientists in terms of Red List development, Balochistan Juniper Forest Biodiversity Reserve, species management development plan, capacity building of zoologists and botanists and Pakistan?s representation in IUCN commissions etc came under discussion.
On the occasion, Kabraji pointed out that Pakistan is very under-represented in IUCN Commissions and stressed the need for having at least one member from Pakistan in each commission.
The Minister assigned this task to PMNH, a subsidiary of PSF, being focal point in Pakistan of UNESCO?s Man and Biosphere Programme. The issue of mangrove forests and increasing threats to biodiversity from the pollution and ways and means for their solution were also discussed.
ISLAMABAD (August 1, 2013): STEDEC Technology Commercialization Corporation of Pakistan, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), National Institute of Electronic (NIE) and Telecom Industry of Pakistan (TIP), Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at MoST on August 1, 2013 to design, develop, large scale production and marketing of Renewable Energy and Electronic Products in the country.
STEDEC Managing Director (MD) S. K. Mohyuddin, TIP MD Nadeem Ahmed Khan, PCRET Director General (DG) Khalid Islam and NIE DG Zafar Iqbal Khokhar signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations, while MoST Secretary Mr. Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar and MoIT Additional Secretary Muhammad Ejaz Mian witnessed the signing ceremony attended by heads of SandT organizations and media persons.
Speaking on the occasion, Secterey MoST ,Mr, Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar said MoST and its RandD organizations have mandate to serve the national industry through developing products / technologies / processes, import substitutes, value-addition especially for export and by providing technical assistance to SMEs.
The Secretary said these R and D Organizations have good number of highly qualified, trained and experienced researchers as well as state-of-the-art / well equipped laboratories for undertaking world class research, however, their contribution to national industrial growth through indigenization of local technologies has not been very impressive.
He said the reason for this unimposing performance has been weak industrial linkages, trust deficit of industry on public sector organizations, development of non- demand driven products, lack of entrepreneurship development facilities / expertise and so on.
The MoST, while realizing these gaps, has established the Commercialization Cell to develop linkages between RandD Organizations, Academia and Industry for sharing of resources to carry out demand driven RandD, offering solutions to various industrial problems, entrepreneurship development and commercialization of IP of these organizations, he added.
Mr. Tarar said under the scope of this MoU, PCRET, NIE and STEDEC (MoST) and TIP (MoIT) shall jointly undertake design and development, large scale production and marketing of Renewable Energy and Electronic Products in the country and the signing parties will ensure optimal utilization of all available resources for mutual benefit and for the ultimate aim of introducing and promoting cost effective indigenous products.
I am confident that this MoU will herald a new era of long term relationship between the two ministries, which will be cornerstone of our initiatives aimed at self reliance through indigenization, he maintained.
The Secretary appreciated the efforts of MoST Commercialization Cell for materializing the MoU to start large scale production and marketing of indigenous technologies.
MoIT Additional Secretary Muhammad Ejaz Mian also spoke on the occasion and hoped that the MoU will go a long way in large scale production of renewable energy and electronic products in the country.
Under the MoU, NIE and PCRET will Design, develop and produce prototype of demand driven products and pass on the complete technical know- how to TIP, while STEDEC will Undertake all financial and commercial aspects on behalf of PCRET and NIE.
TIP will be responsible for mass scale production and marketing of products designed and developed by NIE and PCRET.
A joint Working Group, having representation of all the four parties as well as of MoST and MoIT will select the products (already designed or to be designed) and prepare workable operational model and SOPs for taking the products from initial stage to marketing level.