‘Key to progress is educating youth’

Karachi
Dr Atta-ur-Rehman on Sunday questioned as to when Pakistani governments and leaders would realise that Pakistan’s real wealth was its youth and stressed “only by educating our children the country could emerge as world’s leading economies.”
The renowned scientist said, “Knowledge but not the natural resources, is the main driving force behind developed nations. Look around you and you will find out that socioeconomic development is no longer dependent on natural resources neither oil or gas nor gold and silver.”
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day 14th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Sindh at a local hotel.
Hundreds of doctors and consultants from public and private hospitals as well as medical students from both public and private health colleges and universities were present.
Citing the examples of Singapore, the former minister said the small country has no natural resources at all and its population was quite lesser than even Karachi but due to investment in the fields of science and technology and providing modern education and knowledge to its citizens, Singapore has become one of the leading economies of the world.
Talking about scientific developments in various fields, including biotechnology, information technology, medicine and agriculture, Dr Atta said every day new developments in all almost all scientific fields were happening, and claimed that all these developments were not needed by the mankind but they were happening due to advancements and research in new areas of knowledge and science.
“With the help of biotechnology, golden rice has been developed by the researchers, which contains pro-vitamin A, which is saving thousands of lives these days. We are now having crops for which we no longer require seeds”, he said, adding that extensive research was underway to grow salt-tolerant crops in countries facing water shortage.
Dr Atta also mentioned about genetically-modified cows, which produce milk similar to human milk, electronic devices that help blind people see and carryout their routine activities, helmets that would help people with paralysis to lead a normal live and advancements in the fields of medicine and surgery that would transform the human race altogether.
“Genes that helps in aging process are being identified and experiments on rats and mice have revealed that by mutating such genes, the reversing of age is possible”, he said and stressed all that was happening only by acquiring knowledge and spending in the science and technology.
Thescientist urged young doctors to come into the field of scientific research, saying conducting research was fun and who would not be happy for earning while having fun.
President, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), Prof. Dr. Zafarullah Chaudhry apprised the audience of vast avenues of opportunity available to them after MBBS or graduating in other fields of medicine but asked them to keep the sufferings of people in mind always.