Biotechnologists and microbiologists demand jobs

PESHAWAR: The students and degree holders of biotechnology and microbiology on Tuesday asked the government to accommodate the degree holders in the government sector and declare the degrees equivalent to biology.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Pakistan Biotechnology Association President Dr Muhammad Salman said that biotechnology was introduced in universities in 2001.

He said annually 4,000 to 5,000 students completed their studies in the subject.

Dr Muhammad Salman, who holds a PhD in biotechnology, said the government did not create posts for biotechnologists and microbiologists and thousands of them were jobless.

He said that whenever any medical lab technician’s job was advertised it was mentioned that aspirants holding biotechnology or microbiology degrees were ineligible for the post.

The office-bearer said the country needed to produce vaccines and medicines, produce pesticides at the indigenous level, needed research to make plants more resistant to pests and diseases to enhance crops yield, produce cash crops, instant degrading the polythene bags and clean drinking water.

He pointed out that biotechnology can help solve these problems.

He asked the government to set up research centres in all the districts to accommodate degree holders of the two subjects, start BS programme in varsities and accommodate them in forensic, laboratories, modern research and investigation in a bid to overcome food scarcity.

President Microbiologist Association KP Sajjad Ahmad said that they were faced with the same dilemma and demanded allocation of two seats for microbiologists in all the district headquarters hospitals, make them eligible for subject specialists posts, start BS programme at college level, sanction posts for them in water, sewerage and environment sectors and allow them to apply for Provincial Service Commission posts.