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26 January 2004
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Monday
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03 Zilhaj 1424
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Efforts urged to strengthen tech base
KARACHI, Jan 25: Federal Minister for Investment and Privatization Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has reiterated the need for concerted efforts to help Pakistan emerge as a strong linkage between the Islamic world and the states with sound technological base.
Talking to delegates participating in the two-day Health Asia Conference that concluded here on Sunday, the minister said that Pakistan could well utilize its man power and relevant resources to make optimum application of technology available in countries like Singapore and infrastructure in countries like Saudi Arabia and Gulf States.
Referring to the fast emerging pharmacological sector, he assured that the government was committed to provide necessary support to the industry on scientific lines.
Acknowledging the fact that Pakistan holds a mid level technological base and needs to strengthen its scientific research on industrial, technical and medical basis, the minister maintained that models developed in countries like Singapore and China could be emulated. This would not only enable Pakistan to help benefit its masses, but, the quality of frequent flow of human resource and export of its industrial products to Muslim countries would also considerably improve, he added.
Mr Sheikh said that 57 member countries of Islamic Chamber of Industry and Commerce could also directly avail this opportunity and utilize the technological advancement being made in Asian region. It was mutually agreed upon that Muslim countries hold tremendous market for Pakistani manufactured medical gadgets and pharmacological products and the potential must be positively explored and promoted, he added.
Later, the federal minister took a round of the exhibition and appreciated the attempt made by the organizers of the Health Asia Conference to help develop connectivity centres among local medical education and technical training institutions and their counterparts in the Far Eastern and Middle East region.
Talking to journalists, Mr Sheikh with regard to ongoing privatisation programme said bidding for the share of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited had been scheduled from Feb 9 to 11. - APP
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