ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Chairman National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) Dr Samar Mubarakmand has stressed the need for carrying out fundamental research in natural sciences in Pakistan, saying the foundation of real scientific knowledge could never be laid without the promotion of basic sciences.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of two-day Ernico Fermi Conference on nuclear science and technology, organized by the Pakistan Nuclear Society here on Tuesday.
The scientist said nuclear science had played a very important role in maintaining a balance of power in the region. He, however, emphasized the need for having greater cooperation among the strategic organizations.
Dr Mubarakmand said nuclear science and technology had served the mankind by bringing about a revolution in social and economic areas. He said application of nuclear techniques in the field of agriculture had enabled us in the evolution of new varieties of crops and in increasing the yield of different crops in a substantial manner. He said Pakistan had fully exploited these nuclear techniques in the field of agriculture to the ultimate benefit of the country.
Highlighting the role of nuclear medical techniques, Dr Mubarakmand said these techniques provided effective means of diagnostic and treatment of various diseases like cancer and thyroid. He said there were number of nuclear medical institutes in Pakistan, where these techniques were being applied to alleviate the sufferings of mankind.
Appreciating the role of information technology in bringing about a revolution in every sphere of life, he said information technology was an effective tool in collection of basic data.
Paying tributes to Pakistan Nuclear Society for organizing the conference, he said the society had played an important role in the creation of awareness for the application of nuclear techniques and further achievement of economic goals and improvement of quality of life. He said the society over the years had very ably highlighted the immense need of research and development in Pakistan.
He also paid rich tributes to the great experimentalist and theoretician Ernico Fermi and said Fermi not only pioneered nuclear reactor design and introduced controlled fission in nuclear pile, but he was the first to devise a reliable mean of measuring yield of nuclear tests.
Dr Mubarakmand said Fermi’s contribution had helped scientists and engineers in touching newer heights on the horizon of science and technology.