ISLAMABAD, March 28: Reiterating government’s resolve to develop human capital to build a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday emphasized the need for creating linkages between industry and the academia to expedite the industrialization process.

Talking to a delegation of Nobel laureates comprising Prof Charles Hard Townes, Prof Ivar Giaever and Prof G. Hooft at the Prime Minister’s House, Mr Aziz said the government had been consistently increasing the budgetary allocations to science and technology and higher education.

He said the government recognized the critical role played by science and technology in sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

The prime minister said substantial funds had been provided to institutions of higher learning to develop a critical mass of qualified people to lead and expedite the development process.

The prime minister said the visit of prominent people like the delegation of Nobel Laureates would also contribute to correcting the image of Pakistan.

Earlier at an interaction programme three Nobel laureates enormously inspired around 200 students representing the public and private educational institutions of the country here on Tuesday.

The event was jointly organised by the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, ministry of science and technology, and Pakistan Science Foundation.

The interaction of Nobel laureates with Pakistani students and young scholars started with a 15-minute lecture delivered by Prof C.H. Towns, Prof I. Giaever and Prof L.E. Feinendgen.

A question-answer session followed the lecture series. Queries relating to immortality, time machine, Darwinian theory and anthropology surfaced during the course.

In response to a query, Prof Townes said as per the scientific approach, the human can live on forever by replacing the old organs with newer ones and who knows one day this dream could be materialised. The second session of the day commenced with lectures to senior students, doing PhD and MPhil.

Prof L.E. Feinendgen delivered lecture on ‘Creativity: the way to life.’ Elaborating his viewpoint, he said that creativity was a force and action. It was imperative for survival of mankind and it demanded opportunity, encounter, interaction, and a stable bond.

He said constructive group-thinking, clear goals and vision were also important for creativity. He stressed the need of creativity, coupled with hard work and dedication, to ensure advancement in the fields of science, technology and economy.

Creativity demanded open environment, cooperative interaction and freedom. He said violation of rules of creativity would lead towards a total failure.

Prof C.H. Townes delivered lecture on ‘The enjoyment of a life in science.’ During the thought-provoking lecture, he narrated how his failures resulted into success for him in life as failures never made him pessimist.

He advised the students not to be disappointed if they fail ever in life. Prof Towns told the audience that he had also contributed in sending the first-ever space mission, Apollo-I, to the moon in late 1960s.

Prof I. Giaever delivered a lecture entitled ‘Noble prize and the future of science.’ He submitted his futuristic view regarding scientific achievements.—APP