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| December 25, 2003 | Thursday | Ziqa’ad 1, 1424 |
Strategy to prioritize S&T stressed
ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Speakers at a seminar Wednesday stressed the need for evolving a media strategy to prioritize science and technology and develop research and development fund to establish centres of excellence by the Muslim states.
They also underlined the need for bridging the digital divide and providing equal information access opportunities to the media.
The discussion at the seminar on “Prioritizing S&T in National Agenda: Media’s Role in the Paradigm Shift”, organized by the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, was attended by officials of ministries of information, science and technology, editors of national and foreign newspapers, representatives of electronic media and some representatives of OIC countries.
In the concluding session of the seminar, the Minister in-charge for Science and Technology, Dr Attaur Rehman, said the three-day COMSTECH General Assembly session scheduled from Thursday, was starting at a difficult time when Muslims were facing many challenges. “We have seen what has happened in Iraq and in other parts of the world,” he said.
He stressed upon the need to deliberate about the proposals that were made by the government for the development of a Pan-Islamic Research and Development Fund to establish centres of excellence in various disciplines so that Muslims could share their strengths.
He said “we live in an age where many doors were being closed to us. It’s difficult to go abroad and study in many areas.” He said “we must realise and wake up to the call of the times that each country acts in its own self interest and that there was nobody out there to help you”.
The perpetual debate on government and the media differing in their perceptions for the construction of realities came to light as the organizers of the seminar visualized the role of media working in collusion with official spin doctors for shaping public opinion and countering propaganda of the “others”.
Information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed tried to downplay the rationale of exercise for soliciting views to evolve a media strategy for prioritizing science and technology on the initiative of his ministerial colleague, Dr Attaur Rehman.
The minister said the government knew what it had to do in prioritizing science and technology. “We are keenly aware of our responsibilities and you will never find us wanting in the will and indeed efforts in that direction,” the minister said, as the participants wondered about the need to hold the seminar when the government was so well aware of everything.
Without giving any concrete recommendations or outlining his ministry’s vision for effecting the paradigm shift in media narratives about S&T, the minister accused the media of giving low priority to development issues and of being obsessed with political narratives.
The ministerial chiding was contested by editors of two national dailies and bureau chief of a private TV channel on points of fact, content analysis of newspapers and circumstantial arguments.
A participant, Salman Abbassi, said the media in OIC countries has played a very proactive role by transforming many political jokes into national leaders.
Deputy editor-in-chief of Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram, suggested the creation of a cultural, science and technology forum by the OIC member states.
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