Pakistan Govt to Support S & T Communication

The Pakistan government, through the Federal Ministry for Information and Broadcasting, has committed the use of its radio and television station to devote regular broadcast spots to developments in science and technology (S & T). In addition, the country is set to establish a media university to produce a core of communication practitioners who would be able to help generate information on S and T. This was announced by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durani during the opening ceremonies of the international workshop on “Innovative aspects of biotechnology and its better awareness of biotechnology and its better awareness and dissemination” in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Minister Durani said that highlighting science and technology news through daily 2-3 minute plugs is part of the government’s interest in increasing public awareness and interest in various scientific areas. “It is the responsibility of the government in Pakistan and the Moslem world to focus awareness on new technologies, notably biotechnology”, Durani stressed. He added that also in the pipeline is a television science program that would combine science and entertainment.

The workshop, organized by Organization of Islamic Countries Standing Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation (COMSTECH), Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center, and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), was attended by journalists and representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

For more information about the workshop email Dr. Anwar Nasim, COMSTECH science adviser and overall workshop coordinator, at anwar_nasim@yahoo.com.