Report By: Furqan Hyder Shaikh


No one can deny that nations develop by hard work and sustained research for inviting unique development in their countries. However, a good research is one that has some utility to the development of society and its environment. There is a dire need to promote the research culture in Pakistan so that it could get at par with the developed world.


These views were expressed at a one-day consultative workshop on “Policies for Creating Enabling Environment for Encouraging Problem-Solving Research” recently held at MUET campus, Jamshoro. The event was organized by Mehran University Institute of Science, Technology, and Development (MUISTD) in collaboration with Institute of Research Promotion (IRP), and PCST.


The speakers who spoke and presented their researches on the occasion included Dr. Rehmatullah of IRS, Dr. Tariq Bashir of PCST, Vice Chancellor of MIT Entrepreneurship Forum Pakistan Azhar Rizvi, Vice Chancellor of MUET Prof Dr. Aslam Uqaili and co-director MUISTD Dr. Arabella Bhutto.


Welcoming the participants of the event, Dean of Faculty of Science, Technology and Humanities and Director MUISTD, Prof. Dr. Pir Roshan Shah Rashidi, said that purpose of the workshop is to provide understanding of policies for creating a problem-solving research environment which always leads to growth and development.


He regretted that Pakistan is a state where a large number of youth are out of school and the level of education at primary and secondary level is not meeting the requirement. Teachers have become ghost in remote areas of Sindh and authorities concerned are not paying attention to resolve this problem.


Amid this prevailing condition, research and development need to become an imperative not only for some multinational corporations working in Pakistan but also for governmental institutions, he asserted.


The role of universities for research needs to be introduced and ensured because these are primary responsible for going as research-entity, he added. However, they have comparatively needed equipments, having direct networking with governmental organizations, quiet huge funds, having universal mutual understanding with other global counterparts, and can go successful in this regard.


In his remarks, Dr. Tariq Bashir of PCST said that developing technology should be the top priority than just using it.


He said that funding for research is not sufficient and it should be increased. While strategic partnership between university and industry must be ensured.


“We, as a nation, cannot become sustainable on the track of sustainability until and unless the government provides basic rights to the public including education for all,” he said.


Vice Chancellor of MIT Entrepreneurship Forum Pakistan, Azhar Rizvi, in his presentation “How to Build University Policy for Industry-Academia Linkages and Promotion of RandD” said the role of academia is superior than the industry. And the entrepreneurship is a key to industrial development.


He further said, we are very hard working nation but we do not respect ourselves.


According to VC MUET Prof Dr. Aslam Uqaili, “We need to change; willing to perform; work and produce more results.”


He also said, “Todays world is knowledge power so increase your knowledge. As university manager we need to introduce new policies.”


He further said, in appreciation of initiative taken by Dr. S. M. Qureshi (the pioneer of MUISTD, the first VC of MUET, former secretary SandT, and professor of emeritus) that we are lucky for having people like Dr. Qureshi who initiated a step forward for building MUISTD for policy study.


Speaker and the co-director MUISTD Dr. Arabella Bhutto said the government should evolve an effective policy for creating enabling environment for encouraging problem-solving research at gross-roots level in order to boost research practices uptill the high-ups of the government.

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