Senate body supports restructuring of S&T organizations
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD—Senate Standing Committee on Education, Science and Technology Monday underlined the need for creating linkages between Science and Technology-related organizations and industrial and agricultural sectors with a view to give boost to economy and a better standard of life to people.
The Committee met here with Senator Razina Alam Khan inthe chair and discussed in detail the restructuring of Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and its attached departments.
The members of the Committee were of the view that restructuring of the MoST and organizations entrusted with the task of promotion of scientific and technological activities would help in improving the standard of Science and Technology in the country and would contribute to the socio-economic uplift of the country. They unanimously agreed with the proposal of the restructuring the MoST and its attached departments, in principle. Chairperson of the Committee Senator Razina Alam Khan called upon the Members to forward their recommendations for restructuring till the first week of December which would be helpful to the ministry in its plan to restructure the ministry on sound footings.
She said restructuring of the ministry and its organizations is a gigantic task and requires very careful consideration of the proposals. In her opening remarks, she also welcomed the caretaker minister and expressed the hope that he would guide the ministry in achieving the desired objectives. Earlier, the Committee was given a detailed briefing by ParvezButt Secretary Ministry of S&T about various proposals to restructure the ministry on modern footings.
He said that there is a dire need to excel in the field of Science and Technology so as to expedite the process of economicdevelopment. He said that restructuring would help increase theeffectiveness of the S&T organizations and would contribute to the socio-economic well-being of the people and industrial developmentof the country. He also apprised the committee about the problems being faced by ministry as well as the S&T organizations and the causes which led to their gradual decline. Caretaker Federal Minister for Science and Technology ShamsQasim Lakha appreciated the support of the Committee to restructure the S&T organizations and expressed the hope that it would have lasting effects on the economy of the country.
The Committee assured full support to the Ministry of Science and Technology in overcoming the difficulties which resulted in deterioration of their performance. The meeting was attended by Senators Tahira Latif, Dr. AbdulKhaliq Pirzada, Rehana Yahya Baloch, Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Maulvi Agha Muhammad and Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. Shams QasimLakha, Minister for Science and Technology and senior officers of the ministry were also present.