ISLAMABAD, June 23: An eminent scientist has proposed that rather than cursing the government for not doing its job, people should start doing whatever good they can as individuals.

“Pakistan is the only country we have. Good or bad we cannot disown it,” said Dr Anwar Nasim, adviser on science to the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (Comstech), speaking on the role of individual in society here on Friday.

His idea of Non-Government Individual (NGI) taking the task of improving the society ignited a lively discussion but the host NGO, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), reminded that “a society can be transformed only through a political process — a joint struggle”.

Dr Nasim admitted that “even NGIs will have to create a network” to achieve collective good.

“NGIs are people who would like to do something, to strive to make some positive contribution for the betterment of the society,” he said.

Abdul Sattar Edhi, Imran Khan, Ibrarul Haq, Dr Abdul Salam, Indian biotechnologist M.S. Swaminathan and Mother Teresa did make a difference, he observed.

Prof Swaminathan brought about green revolution in India, took computer literacy to villages and built a garden for blind children so that they could smell the fragrance of flowers, he said.

Dr Nasim, a microbiologist with literary achievements too, felt sorry that Pakistanis possessed great potential but it was least utilised because “we believe in mutual negation, we are very poor in working together”.

“We can do a lot more. Every person has the responsibility to do whatever he can. Have your own agenda, be accountable to yourself,” he said.