KARACHI, 10 September 2003 — “There are instances when scientists helped small entrepreneurs but did not charge any fee for the transfer of the know-how. In many cases, the fee was a meager 500 to 1,000 rupees,” said Dr. Mirza Arshad Ali Beg, director general, planning, development and industrial liaison, in his report on “Technology Transfer of PCSIR Processes”. But the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), like many other scientific organizations, lacks funds and government support.
Established in 1953 with the prime objective of setting up research centers in various parts of the country, the PCSIR has contributed to the development of industry in the country.
The PCSIR is autonomous within the framework of two constitutional bodies created under the act of 1973, with greater emphasis on industrial research oriented to the solution of important national problems. Since then, the PCSIR has attempted to foster innovative products, uncompromised quality and service excellence. The council has been able to develop 478 scientific and technical processes, which were leased out to 638 entrepreneurs and businesses for their commercialization.
The PCSIR was essentially a chemistry-based organization and its research has expanded to the fields of synthetic chemistry, natural chemical products, pharmacology and insecticides.
A survey reveals that the PCSIR processes and technology have saved over 6 billion rupees in foreign exchange for the country.
The organization, even in its imperfect state, remains the custodian of some important infrastructure, retains the experience of a range of R and D activities and can boast of professionalism at the level of senior management, past and present, said Prof. Dr. M. Akhtar of Southampton University.
The current annual allocation of 190 million rupees, which includes salaries of over 300 scientists, is not enough for a research council.
Senior Pakistani scientists from the early 1950s have highlighted the importance of adequate funding. A generous allocation of funds from the Ministry of Science and Technology for restoring and modernizing this crumbling scientific infrastructure is badly needed.
