Govt asked to facilitate promotion of biotechnology

LAHORE:Speakers at a booklet launch demanded the government provide an enabling environment to introduce innovative technologies in accordance with the international standards for adoption of biotechnology.

A virtual ceremony held here to launch a booklet “Current Status of Agricultural Biotechnology in Pakistan” written by Dr Kauser Abdullah Malik and published by Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center (PABIC), Lahore chapter, in collaboration with Forman Christian College (a chartered university).

The event was attended by scientists, policymakers, and representatives from leading biotech institutes, academia, crop science industry, farmers and other stakeholders. The booklet mainly aimed at documenting agricultural biotechnology especially genetic engineering-related researches being carried out in the country and to highlight the bottlenecks in the way of commercialisation of agri-biotech products.

Dr Kauser Malik, dean of FCC Postgraduate Studies and PABIC director, said the booklet had also brief description of the ongoing researches at some of the major institutions. Dr Farzana Altaf Shah, PAK- EPA director, urged the government ministries and departments to support the policies and reforms backed by science. She said soon there would be an agricultural war in the world and Pakistan should be ready for it by adopting modern technology.

Punjab Agriculture Minister Hussain Jahania Gardezi said the government wanted to strengthen Punjab Agriculture Research Board so that it could support agricultural biotechnology projects.

The Punjab government also intends to work with the federal government to simplify the regulatory protocols so that the researches carried out can be commercialised, the minister said. UET: University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore launched a planting campaign on its campus here Friday.

UET Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar inaugurated the campaign by planting a sapling. Later, the university’s Registrar, Director Student Affairs, Senior Warden, PRO, Deans, Chairmen and teachers also planted the saplings.

Dr Syed Mansoor Sarwar said that trees were environment-friendly; therefore, their significance needed to be highlighted to increase the number and conservation. He encouraged all faculty members and students to plant saplings.