Former Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr. Attaur Rehman has said that investment in high-tech biotechnologies, genetic engineering and pharmaceutical sectors are of crucial importance to uplift economy of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has to prioritize and assign maximum budget and resources for research, development, and education,” he said at an international conference on ‘Trends and Prospects in Molecular Biosciences’ organized by the Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (IBB) to commemorate the establishment of the institute set up 20 years ago.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir, Faculty of Life Sciences Dean Prof Dr. Naeem Khan, Bacha Khan University Vice-Chancellor Dr. SM Saqlain Naqvi, eminent scientists and researchers from abroad and within the country and 450 young scientists, faculty members, joined in the two-day conference.

Formerly a federal minister, Dr. Rehman said that importance of modern trends in molecular biosciences and new limits must understand and explored by government and scientists. “High-tech industries way forward to compete with the rest of the world needs investment from us.”

PU VC Dr. Zafar Moeen Nasir said that university was underwriting its part to raise national economy and for social development. Several types of BT cotton seed, recently developed by PU scientists, he said, that would subsidize $4 billion to economy and help poor farmers to save Rs 20,000 per acre.

Prof Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan said that research and development will highlight focus on economic abilities offered by biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, molecular biology and genetic engineering for pharmaceutical sciences, agriculture, biomedical sciences, and environment in his concluding remarks.

He further stated that gene therapy, food security, nanoparticles, genomic disease technologies, etc., can revolutionize economy of Pakistan.

Prof Dr. Waheed Akhtar said that IBB was set up to bridge the gap in teaching and research in biological sciences in Pakistan. He highlighted the contributions of biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology for human welfare.