KARACHI: A state-of-the-art rice research centre was inaugurated on Wednesday at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi University (KU).

Named the Sino-Pakistan Hybrid Rice Research Centre, the facility is equipped with the latest equipment including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopes and will be supported by Chinese experts through technology transfer and capacity building.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony organised at the Prof Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium at the ICCBS, KU Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Ajmal Khan said: “We should learn from China that has set an excellent example in the field of science and technology and made tremendous progress in a short time.”

Development of any country or nation, he said, was associated with the commitment of its leadership, which should translate into meaningful investment in scientific research and technology.

Prof Atta-ur-Rahman, the ICCBS patron-in-chief and former Higher Education Commission chairman, spoke about the need for educating and training the youth.

He said, “Pakistan has huge youth strength — about 100 million young people below the age of 20. They need to be educated and trained, if we really want to take advantage from this strength.”

According to him, natural resources have lost their importance and have been replaced by refined human resources that contribute towards high-tech industrial development.

He regretted the drastic cut in the higher education budget and said it’s unfortunate that the finance ministry had slashed the development budget of all universities of Pakistan by more than 60 per cent, which had adversely affected research projects.

“In fact, the government has left the universities in a state of shock and disarray by massively reducing their budget. The country must realise that progress can’t be made without excelling in high-quality education, science and technology, innovation and entrepreneurship,” he pointed out.

Chinese Consul General Wang Yu praised the Pakistani rice and said that China was a major importer of Pakistani high-quality rice.

“The ICCBS is represented by some great scholars and I am sure the opening of this research centre will benefit both countries. It’s a significant event reflecting the deep bond we share.”

Director ICCBS Prof Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary said that the centre was another landmark in the long and exemplary relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

Director general CNRRI Prof Cheng Shihua said that food security was affecting both China and Pakistan and the centre would help tackle it.

Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair, who had been invited to the programme in his capacity as the chancellor of all public sector universities in the province, couldn’t make it to the event.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2017