ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Prof. Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that the government is committed to promote scientific education and to facilitate institutions for creativity and innovation.

"We need strategic economic direction and excel as export-led nation and for this, continuity and stability in policies was required like in the other developed countries", Ahsan Iqbal said this while addressing at Awareness workshop on "Dual use of Education,"jointly organized by Pakistan Academy of Science and Quaid-i-Azam University here on Monday.

He said that "We need continuity on our policies like China,Malaysia, South Korea and Japan,where government regimes continued their policies for more than twenty years and brought political and economic stability in their respective states."

The Minister said that top priority of the government was to invest in education and support the talented youth and provide them scholarship and funds for research.

Ahsan Iqbal said "the government started programme for Phd students and provided them scholarship and with the result lot of teachers got Doctorate degrees from universities abroad and now they are heading the different academic department in universities".

He said that "We started a Rs.1 billion project for the field of research and enhance the research environment in the country".

He said the government started a programme "Science Talent Forming" for 500 matriculation students and more 250 above classes till the P.hd students.

The Federal Minister attributed the 7th century boom of scientific enquiry and discoveries with the then Islamic civilization of Baghdad and Basra.

He said that the Muslim countries should compete on research and innovation in science rather than increasing the defence budget.

Ahsan Iqbal said in order to weaken sectarianism, chauvinistic and obscurantist mindset and produce healthy generation, the government has set up the National Curriculum Council, which will promote creative thinking.

The Minister said that "We will encourage education in science and technologies of electronics,bio- technologies,computer, manmade material and technologists the driver of change in Pakistan.

He said that the government is committed to bring change by investing in youth.

APP