Govt urged to avoid GMO multinationals

KARACHI: The government has been urged to rely on indigenous resources and not to let the transnational GMO (genetically modified organisms) selling companies rob the country of its precious national exchequer, a statement said on Thursday. 

“Two local companies have successfully developed BT cotton seeds. Pakistan's own BT cotton is now a reality,” Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Engineer Javed Saleem Qureshi, said while talking to media at Karachi Press Club. 

“Multinationals are demanding billions of rupees for launching the genetically modified cotton in Pakistan. Two research institutes (in Lahore and Faisalabad) have produced the pest and weed resistant cotton seed. All they need is government support.” 

To a question, he said country’s engineers did not have any roadmap and around 50,000 fresh graduates search for jobs every year. “Fewer opportunities and far more candidates mounted the pressure in the job market,” he said. 

Engineer Qureshi observed there was a dire need of appointing engineers in the engineering departments, where non-engineers headed the organizations. “Engineers should appoint as head of the engineering departments in water board, KDA, K-Electric, etc” he added. 

He suggested the government should give Rs20,000 as internship remuneration to the graduates of engineering universities like doctors are given under their house job programs. 

“We have reformed the PEC and hope employment of around 12,000 engineers in different companies after implementation of biometric system,” he said, adding, there would be more jobs for engineers after China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) comes into force.