The reason that research we carry out is not productive in the sense of solving our own problems, also has to do with the policies for promotion in our higher education institutions. All that they are interested in is the impact factor (IF), a veiled term used to describe "high quality research". Apparently, this "high quality research" is done to solve the problems of the Western World, as the publishers of the IF journals are based there and they are interested in solutions to their own problems. On the other hand, we do everything in our capacity to undermine research into our own problems, as publications in conferences is highly discouraged. Normally, its the conferences that become the venues to discuss issues and their solutions in the local context. If they are not considered important researchers would automatically be disinterested in solving their own problems. To fix the problem, the promotion policies should be changed. Cognizance should be taken of local conferences, which become the talk shops where we discuss our own issues and the probable solutions to them. It is time we stop solving problems for the West, who already have a number of their own solutions for them, and concentrate on our own.

To conduct research on current set of problems, society should be brave enough to acknowledge those problems exist - which is often not the case. Do Pakistanis acknowledge there is a problem with a) water distribution in Punjab / Sindh b) increasing salinity in deltas due to all those dams c) raising militancy in S. punjab d) large investments in defense and military expenditures e) price fixing in commodities? Research into such areas is dangerous, the powers that be will get rid of you or your funding.