The S&T has played a significant role in helping Pakistan to achieve self-reliance in food by developing improved high- yielding and resistant varieties of cotton, wheat, rice and sugarcane which in a large measure replaced indigenous varieties. The value of researches carried out by various R&D organisations and extension services in the last 30 years can be gauged from the following facts:

a. Wheat, rice and sugarcane production has increased four- fold, and

b. Cotton production has increased to three-fold, altogether giving increased value of more than Rs. 50,000/- million per annum. Nevertheless, yields are still far from being optimum. The work on fresh water resources is mostly in preliminary stages and a fairly long period is likely to elapse before the results lead to application at the commercial level in view of the present slow pace of development.

The industrial sector has made reasonable progress as during last fifty years a number of factories and manufacturing concerns were established to cater to the needs of the people-in domestic, agriculture and engineering products. However, the engineering oriented industries could not be established due to being capital intensive and absence of metallurgical industries. The downstream industries related to iron and steel have not so far come up. The mineral sector is also calmouring for funds for the exploitation of mineral, wealth of the country.

The largest R&D organisation in the industrial sector is Pakistan Council of Scientific & industrial Research with about a dozen laboratories and centres spread all over the country dealing with a variety of technologies. The present estimated turn over of PCSIR processes in production is of the order of Rs. 155 million per annum. This represents only 35 percent of the processes leased out. The turn over is but a negligible part of total turnover of industrial production of the country. The reason for this insignificant impact is the absence of a long range R&D program on major national industrial projects, lack of collaboration with end-users and non-availability of risk money. The establishment of Scientific and Technological Development Corporation as a subsidiary of PCSIR is a commendable effort.

There will be a shortfal1 of 22 percent (1900 MW) on the projected 8604 MW of installed capacity by the end of the 6th Five Year Plan. The shortfal1 would further increase by the end of the century if the planned enhanced capacity during 7th Plan is not achieved. The demand is increasing at a faster rate than the generation rate due to rapid mechanisation in agriculture, industry, rural electrification and fastly improving standard of living in urban areas. Greater emphasis has, so far, been laid on exploitation of hydro-power potential, thereby, losing time due to long gestation period. The exploration of oil and natural gas has been carried out at a late stage and conservation measures were not adopted in time. The renewable energy resources have not been developed to meet the power shortage, especially, in agriculture sector.

Progress in telecommunication has been minimum as no viable infrastructure has, so far, been established. Neither any telecommunication plan has been evolved which could cover the needs of rural population. SUPARCO has completed a feasibility study for launching domestic satellite. It is expected that a program based on this study will be launched during the Seventh Five Year Plan.

Medical Research

Nearly 20 research centres have been set up at various institutions and medical colleges all over the country but the nature of research has remained confined to carrying out surveys and descriptive research. There is no institute of Bio-Medical Research. The Pakistan Medical Research Council has only a part-time Chairman. The Ministry of Health is collecting a fund from the profits of sales of drugs for basic research on drugs and for evolving new drugs but this fund has not so far been utilised to support even one project. The chairs in such important subjects as biostatics and epidemology have not been established.

Appropriate Technologies and Development

The concept of Appropriate Technologies & Development is most relevant to the needs of Pakistan especially in rural areas. The impact of income-generating technologies has been minimal due to financial constraints and absence of trained extension cadre of workers. The role of Pakistan Council of Appropriate Technology, Pakistan Rural Foundation has been commendable despite financial constraints. The moot was of the view that these efforts need to be considerably enlarged.

Human Environment

The adverse effects of pollution have started showing up in Pakistan. The preliminary surveys carried out by PCSIR, Karachi and Lahore have revealed alarming conditions leading towards degradation of human environment concern was expressed on increasing lead pollution which is extremely harmful for human beings.

University Research and Manpower

The number of scientists, technologists and engineers engaged in S&T sector is woefully low. The number of those engaged in R&D is still lower. The Ph.D Scholars program of the Ministry of Science & Technology launched recently shows concern of authorities regarding shortage of trained manpower. The program of the Ministry of Science & Technology relates to Frontier Technologies but it is equally important to enhance Ph.D. enrolment in basic sciences in the country. The turn-out of M.Phil and Masters Degree is not enough to meet the specialised requirements of universities and R&D organisations. The quality of indigenously produced manpower is not upto the mark and there has been a downward trend during the past 40 years excepting a few disciplines.

The main reason for slow progress in the field of R&D is he paucity of funds and the foresight. The percentage of expenditure on R&D has remained below0.20 percent of the GNP despite strong recommendations of international bodies of the UN such as UN Conference on Science & Technology for Development (UNCSTD), UNESCO, ACAST and others. The scientific community has all through been demanding a raise in financial support so that it could undertake projects of national importance in various sectors.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play an effective role by reaching the grass roots - marginal farmers, landless labourers, artisans, craftsmen, women and youth. People's participation on development particularly by women and youth organisations is essential in all programs to create the desired impact. Education and awareness of masses is the need of the hour. A broad-based segment of society which is capable of understanding the importance and appreciating the role of Research & Development is a pre-requisite for supporting promotion of science. The voluntary bodies like Pakistan Association of Scientists and Scientific Professions should activate process at the gross-root level in order to generate a consensus and policy recommendations. Some working groups should be constituted.

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