Scientists from world over come to attend botany conference

International conference begins at QAU.

ISLAMABAD:

In a constantly evolving world of globalisation, economic strength, access to technology and environment for innovation determines the status of a nation. Without economic strength and knowledge, we remain vulnerable to external manipulations and don’t reach our true potential.

These views were expressed by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali while inaugurating the international moot on botany at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) on Saturday.

The university, in collaboration with Pakistan Botanical Society, is hosting the three-day conference to provide an opportunity to scientists to meet distinguished intellectuals and leading experts in botany, exchange ideas and develop strategies.

Nearly 200 scientists and faculty members from Pakistan, Oman, Turkey, Saudi Arab and France are participating in the conference, during which they will elaborate recent trends in their fields that include physiology, ecology, eco-physiology, microbial interactions, plant taxonomy, economic botany, molecular biology, agriculture agronomy, horticulture, plant breeding and genetics.

In his welcome address, QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai said some countries have created basic infrastructure and achieved a degree of success on certain fronts but are lacking capital resources to sustain their research and development setup.

“On the other hand, some states have a weak base in science and technology and are completely dependent on imported technologies. However, they possess huge capital resources to meet these requirements. This forum provides an opportunity to discuss such issues and benefit from available research,” he noted.

“Education must be considered as an investment in development and not an expenditure. We must build our people by grooming them through a challenging educational system to tackle crucial issues of national interests,” he remarked.

Earlier, PBS President and QAU Biotechnology Department Head Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari, in his detailed presentation, described the history and background of the botanical society and the scope of plant sciences.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2012.