Estb. 1882

University of the Punjab

Symposiums

Dr Rehman calls for spending resources on research and innovation

LAHORE: (Tuesday, April 15, 2014): Former Chairman Higher Education Commission Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rehman has called upon the government to allocate resources to science & technology, research and innovation as the prosperity of the country is linked with progress in education. He was addressing a symposium on Bioequivalence and Bioavailability Studies organized by Centre for Bioequivalence Studies and Bioassay Research, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences University of Karachi at Al Raazi Hall here on Tuesday. PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran presided over the session while International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences University of Karachi Director Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Former Chairman Pakistan Pharmaecutical Manufacturing Associaiton & Chief Executive Officer Schazoo Zaka Laboratories Muhammad Zaka-ur-Rehman, Representative Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Dr Sheikh Akhter Hussain, Dr Muhammad Raza Shah, Dr Naghma Hashmi, PU ASA President Dr Ehsan Sharif, Secretary Javed Sami, faculty members, delegates from various pharmaceutical companies and a large number of students were present on the occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr Rehman said that man had made marvelous inventions in the field of biology for the benefit of mankind. He said that the world was changing rapidly and there were thousands of inventions and innovations happening. He said that we needed to put our country on the road to progress together by making efforts in the field of research. He said that we needed a champion in the field of education and Mian Shahbaz Sharif could become that champion. He appealed to Mian Shahbaz Sharif to play his role for improving education sector in other provinces as he had improved education system in Punjab. Talking to media, Dr Rehman said that the government had promised to allocate at least 4 percent of GDP to education and it was hoped that it would fulfill its promise. He said that confusion arose after 18th amendment that higher education had also been de-centralized but Supreme Court had clearly protected HEC in its judgment in a petition filed by him. He said that if a province would set up provincial higher education commission, parallel to the federal HEC, it would be a contempt of court. But, to another question, he said that if a province wanted to fund and support institutions of higher learning and wanted to set up a body which did not challenge the functions of federal HEC, it should be welcomed.

Lauding PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran, he said that he had promoted research culture in Punjab University and brought it to new heights. PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran said that Pakistan was the 6th largest populous country and 4th in terms of disease and in this situation we must give priority to education and health sectors. He said that people should be provided with better health facilities and medicines on affordable and low prices. He said that the medicines which’s patent had expired could be produced in Pakistan and provided on cheap rates to the people. Dr Kamran said that the developed nations were spending at least 5 percent of their GDPs on education while Pakistan was spending less than 2 percent. He said that if we did not invest money on research, we could not control diseases. He lauded Dr Rehman’s role in promotion of higher education in Pakistan. Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry said that we had not discovered the treatment of so many disease and industry and academic must join hands for this. Dr Muhamma Zaka said pharmaceutical industry was a knowledge based industry but more than 80 percent of Pakistanis could not afford expensive medication and bioequivalence and bioavailability studies could provide relief to people in this regard. The organizing secretary Dr Raza Shah stated that the Center for Bioequivalence Studies and Bioassay Research (CBSBR) was an integral part of the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi was engaged to provide expert facility to perform commercially viable projects in the area of bioequivalence studies and bioassay research. He said it was the first ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 accredited facility of the country and a modern and purpose built facility, with a covered area of approx 32,600 sq ft. furnished with a full scale clinical research facility, with 100 beds wards, Bio-analytical Laboratory, Documentation Room, Pharmacy, MIS section along with corporate office. He said CBSBR had completed a number of Bioequivalence and Pharmacokinetic studies in compliance with national and international guidelines. He said the center for was well equipped with all high tech facilities and trained manpower needed to carry out BE studies according to the international standards.



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