KARACHI: The United Nations has appointed Prof Dr Attaur Rahman chairman of the UN committee on Scie­nce, Technology and Innovation.

Prof Rahman, former federal minister for science and technology, will chair the first meeting of the committee in Bangkok on Monday.

The UN Economic Social Commission for Asia and Pacific will also hold its meeting in Bangkok the same day.

A senior official of the International Centre for Che­m­ical and Biological Scie­nces, University of Karachi, said on Sunday that the committee would discuss ways and means to promote science, technology and innovation among the member states.

Knowledge is transforming the landscape of many countries who are investing in higher education and promotion of innovation through applications of science and technology, he said.

Prof Rahman obtained his PhD in organic chemistry from Cambridge University in 1968.

The former federal minister has got 1,021 publications in several fields of organic chemistry and 188 books published largely by the European and US press.

Prof Rahman has also served as chairman of the Higher Education Commis­sion of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2016