ISLAMABAD: Though South Asian countries are embracing technology in many useful ways, yet its people are denied to promises of life.

While use of technology in the region has brought silent revolution in their economies and societies, lack of an educated and skilled population as well as inadequate infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, was imperative for these countries to exploit full potential of technology.

These observations were made at the launch of the 12th Mahbubul Haq Human Development in South Asia 2008 Report on Thursday.

Speakers on the occasion said limited adoption and diffusion of technology had to be addressed seriously to enhance productivity of the economy, improve human development through adequate public service delivery and overall governance in SA – region that remained most populous, malnourished and poorly-governed in the world.

The event was presided over by former finance and foreign minister and vice chancellor of Beacon House National University (BNU),  Sartaj Aziz, and also attended by President of Mahbubul Haq Human Development Centre (MHHDC), Khadija Haq, who highlighted key findings of the report titled ‘Technology and human development in South Asia’.

Dean of department of economics, BNU and former UN assistant secretary-general, Dr Hafiz Pahsa, and Dr Ishrat Husain, director Institute of Business Administration (IBA) and former governor State Bank of Pakistan, also spoke on the occasion.

Ms Haq said technology offered unique opportunity to accelerate human development in provision of education and skills, enhance agricultural productivity, deliver low-cost heal-thcare, improve governance and increase competitiveness in trade and commerce.

Despite great strides that countries of the region made in harnessing technology, vast majorities in SA have been bypassed from the promise of better life.

Millions in the region are still food insecure, jobless and lacked basic education and healthcare. The report cited many cases showing positive results by using technology in medical, educational, agricultural and governance fields.

‘Technical training and skills can help promote self-employment. Regional cooperation within South Asia for technological advancement has potential to uplift the region as a whole’, she added.

Mr Aziz termed the report a landmark contribution, maintaining that technology fed entire development process while, he said, future development would be mainly possible through technology and knowledge.

Dr Hussain lauded the MHHDC for its continuous valuable research work on diverse subjects in the region, saying the report rightly focused on direct channel of technology-poverty reduction relationship by analysing role of technology in better healthcare, education, water supply, agriculture, and good governance.

He underlined need for strengthening institutions for the use of technology for poor, especially in universities and higher education, research and development organisations, para-professional, vocational and technical manpower and specialised institutions.

Mr Pasha observed that the report highlighted a relationship between technology and economic development presenting extremely replicable innovative ways and suggesting practical routes for e-governance and service delivery.