The government has approved a task force on science and technology and has officially released a list of names that will serve on the task.
According to sources, Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman the Former Minister of Science & Technology, Former Chairman of Higher Education Commission is to be the chairman of the new task force. It is to be noted that he is also part of the 17 man task force on IT and telecom.
The people that are to be part of the science and technology task force along with Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman include: Secretary Minister of Science and Technology, Syed Yawar Ali; Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Iqbal Choudhary; Dr. Shahid Mansoor; Dr. Raheel Qamar; Dr. Muhammad Wasay; Dr. Sohaib Khan; Engineer Khalid Asghar; Waqar Mahmood; Dr. Naveed A. Malik; and Dr. Ehsan Ullah Khan Kakar.
The objective of the task force is to start an economic renaissance through Education, Science, Technology, Research, Innovation and Commercialization. Overall the aim of the force is to increase the collaboration between the industries and academia. Along with the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. With the new task force, the government hopes to empower entrepreneurs working in STEM fields.
However, even though the government has taken the right step to empower startups and academia, one of the major criticisms that is being faced is the absence of women representation in the list.
Reference links: www.techjuice.pk
