KARACHI, Aug 2: The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has acquired modern equipment for research and development activities in order to facilitate exporters and industrial sector of the country.

This was stated by PCSIR Laboratories Complex Director-General Dr Tanzil Haider while talking at a radio programme on Wednesday. He said that a number of industrial and technological processes developed at the PCSIR laboratories had been sold to industries which helped save foreign exchange by substituting imports.

He said that the federal government provided substantial development funds to the premier institution, which had well-equipped research laboratories in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and other cities. He said that the laboratory in Quetta was ready and would start functioning shortly.

He said that research and development activities carried out by 2000 scientists of the PCSIR were of international standard. This included formulation developed for removing rubber particles of tyres from runways at airports across the country.

Dr Tanzil Usmani said that the PCSIR carried out geological studies at coal reserves at Lakhra in Sindh province, which showed these contained more sulphur content (lignite property). A washing plant was set up at Lakhra after which Chinese company set up power plant using Lakhra coal.

He said that similar geological studies were also carried out at Thar coal reserves in Sindh which revealed these were of better quality and could be used for power generation.

He recalled that the PCSIR after 10-year research from 1981-90 developed clean drinking water formulation (without boiling) Abe Hayat approved by the World Health Organisation which was a check against waterborne diseases particularly in rural areas of the country.—PPI