How to promote strategic culture of research in Pakistan?

The culture of research with analytical skills, critical thinking and strategic insight is essential for transforming a country from being poor and underdeveloped to a successful one. Societies where there is culture of innovative and creative research are able to turn around and seek excellence in economy, good governance, rule of law, accountability, and human and social development with a focus on better education and vibrant institutions.

What is meant by a culture of research and why Pakistan, the world’s fifth most populous country, is unable to seek a breakthrough in utilising its human resource for developing a strategic mind with a focus on research and development? Davindra Thakur in his book, Research Methodology in Social Sciences, states: “The term research is meant any inquiry or investigation regarding any phenomenon or event in order to discover facts.” Tariq Malik in his book, Meliorism of Research Methodology, maintains that the word research “comes from the French ‘rechercher’ (to search again or survey) and is defined as a careful, systematic, patient investigation undertaken to discover or establish facts and relationships.”

C.R Kothari in his book, Research Methodology Methods and Techniques, states: “Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. One can also define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation. We all possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confronts us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain full and fuller understanding of the unknown.” When research is not understood or is disregarded as something irrelevant, the outcome is degeneration of society and failure of state. Viewed in the context of Pakistan, research was never given a priority by the state which considered it as a threat to its interests.

Reasoning, critical thinking, probe, inquiry and searching for truth means opening up of the minds of people challenging policies and its narratives aiming to misguide people and hiding truth. Promoting a strategic culture of research means when the two major words ‘why’ and ‘how’ are not suppressed by the state and society. When reasoning and questioning become a part of societal discourse, it means people, particularly the youths, are empowered to search for the truth and strengthen the process of innovation, creativity and discoveries. Since strategy is an art focusing on how to do things, research gives emphasis on why to seek truth. Both are compatible as no society can progress and develop without unleashing the process of strategic culture of research.

The neglect of research in Pakistan could be gauged from the fact that despite having world’s best soil and canal system, the country has had to import food items worth billions of dollars annually. There does exist Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) tasked to enhance agricultural production and improve quality of crops. But, PARC has utterly failed to conduct research which can augment per acre yield of major crops like wheat, rice, maize, soya bean, vegetables and fruits because it lacks caliber and professionals. But with mediocre professionals, how can one expect such organisations to conduct innovative research to transform Pakistan into a South Asian bread basket? Focus on research and innovation tends to ensure not only high per acre yield but also quality of agricultural products.

The invention of ‘Maxi-Pak’ wheat by PARC during the sixties was an exception, happening several decades ago when there was adherence to merit vis-a-vis fulfilling official positions related to research and innovation. Furthermore, research requires intelligence and brilliance of people of any country. Bangladesh, unlike Pakistan, is not a cotton growing country but its innovative and brilliant scientists and industrialists decided to import cotton and process it into garment products. As a result, a non-cotton growing country is now exporting garments worth $35 billion, which is more than the total exports of Pakistan. Poverty alleviation and empowerment of women are the two achievements of garment industry in Bangladesh which was not possible without innovation.

Pakistan cannot overcome its economic predicament unless it promotes the strategic culture of research by taking three measures, as follows. First, quality, free and compulsory education at the grassroots level needs to be introduced so that the present and future generations of this country are empowered with knowledge, analytical skills and critical thinking. With national resources plundered and corruption rampant, the country can never emerge as a successful state with a vibrant economy, impressive ranking on human security index, and effective mechanism to handle natural disasters, poverty and social backwardness. Western and non-western societies — where the leadership has promoted the culture of research and innovation — discoveries, probe, doubt, inquiry, investigation and fact-finding have made inroads into their educational institutions leading to the emergence of a critical mass essential for a vibrant strategic culture of research.

Second, freedom of thought and intellectual discourse about addressing critical issues in Pakistan remained non-existent which deepened the culture of patronisation and suppressing truth. Otherwise, there would have been vibrant research centres and policy-oriented thinktanks dealing with domestic and foreign policy challenges. In the strategic culture of research there are four requirements: professionals, resources, programmes and leadership. Unless Pakistan focuses on attaining aforementioned conditions, the country would remain on dole for its economic survival; extremism and terrorism would continue to destabilise society; and the youth of the country will be frustrated and in wilderness. Finally, the role of philanthropists in promoting the strategic culture of research is imperative as is evident in developed societies where billions of dollars of funding is provided by those who are resourceful and want to serve humanity by investing in education, research centres and institutes.

Whereas, the ground realities in Pakistan are different where those with financial resources are primarily not interested in developing a culture of research which can help resolve issues causing poverty, under-development, social backwardness, extremism and environmental degradation. As a result, corrupt practices and compromising on merit have excelled during the times of the PMLN-led regime where most of the appointments in higher education, public sector universities and other state organs are below caliber and reflect biases, thus destroying education and a genuine culture of research. As a result this country is at the bottom in Human Security and Development Index.