November 27, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 16, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: The Senate’s standing committee on education, and science and technology was informed Monday that the ministry of science and technology (MoST), and its attached departments, would be restructured and a National Commission on Science and Technology would be established, to improve the standard of scientific and technological activity.

The committee, which met with Senator Razina Alam Khan in the chair, unanimously approved the restructuring plan. A member of the committee, Senator Prof Ibrahim Khan, told Dawn the draft legislation for establishing the Commission was not ready with the ministry officials.

He said the powers of the Commission had also not yet been defined nor the nature of its relationship with the MoST. He also stressed that the Commission should be formed through an Act of the Parliament and not through an Ordinance.

He said the meeting underlined the need for creating linkages between science and technology-related organizations and the industrial and agricultural sectors, to boost the economy improve standard of life. He said Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan could serve as models in this regard.

Senator Ibrahim said the meeting also discussed the issue of brain drain of scientists and stressed its reversal.

The members of the committee were of the view that restructuring of the MoST, and organizations entrusted with the task of promoting scientific and technological activity, would help in improving the standard of science and technology and contribute to socio-economic uplift.

The committee chairperson asked members to forward recommendations by the first week of December, to help the ministry refine its plan to restructure itself. She said restructuring was a gigantic task requiring careful consideration of the proposals.