Polymers, textiles backbone of national economy: PHEC chief

LAHORE:Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Prof Dr Shahid Munir has said polymers, textiles and allied materials are the backbone of our country and there is a need to strengthen these sectors to uplift the national economy.

He was addressing the 1st national joint universities conference on ‘Sustainable Indigenous Production & Upcycling of Polymers/Allied Materials (SIP-UP): Future Challenges’ jointly organised by Punjab University Institute of Polymer & Textile Engineering, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology and University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore here on Thursday.

PU VC Prof Khalid Mahmood, Rector GIK Institute Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid, Director Institute of Polymer and Textile Engineering Prof Dr Shahzad Maqsood Khan, VCs from various universities, researchers, faculty members and students were present.

In his address, Dr Shahid Munir said that polymers were the most progressive materials and in many areas replacing different materials with polymers. He said that textile industry was the largest manufacturing sector in Pakistan, accounting for a significant share of the country's GDP. He said that it contributed around 8.5% to the total GDP and employed millions of people.

Dr Khalid Mahmood said that holding a joint conference of various universities will promote our local industry. He said that universities’ researchers and industry experts should work together for sustainable development. The universities have to expand their scope of research according to the industry so that they can directly serve the public, he added.

He said that the future of Pakistan depends on the research done in the universities. The products made of polymer were causing environmental damages due to several reasons, for which development of environment-friendly polymer technology was necessary. He said that all departments should cooperate with each other to assess the effects of climate change and to eradicate such problems.

Prof Dr Suleman Tahir while speaking online said that to meet the challenges of the future, an integrated policy on sustainable environment-friendly, less toxic and recycled polymer materials and awareness was important.

Dr Fazal Ahmad said that the role of polymer was very important for various products and in many places the polymer was being replaced by steel. He said that the world was rapidly moving from physical to digital for which we also have to work together in the fields of science, engineering and technology.

On this occasion, CEOs, group heads and management officials of various industries took part in the panel discussion and termed the conference as a platform for mutual cooperation between industry and academia.