New development projects need sustainability, says Prof Pirzada Qasim

• facebook

Whenever we start a new project in the country we must focus on one of the major components that work should have sustainability. Development will only be considered durable and benefit the majority of society if it is sustainable.The public sector universities, particularly the University of Karachi, are facing serious financial constraints due to deductions in the grants by the departments concerned. In such a scenario, the research work, as well as teaching, cannot flourish and the administrations of the varsities remain under a lot of burdens.However, Karachi University despite all such challenges is doing extremely well in both the teaching and research sectors. I strongly believe that the adoption of the use of common facilities would work for public sector universities.These views were expressed by a former vice chancellor of the University of Karachi, Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, on Wednesday. Prof Siddiqui , who is currently working as Ziauddin University vice chancellor, along with another former KU VC, Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser, inaugurated the opening session of the two-day long national conference on genes genomes, genetics and diversity.The Department of Genetics has arranged the event to celebrate the successful completion of 50 years of its founding. Prof Siddiqui stated that Karachi University should also focus on enhancing the resource generation because its day-to-day affairs were badly affected by the reduction in grants by the government department(s).Prof Qasier stated that the audience that nobody had even dream about establishing a genetics department in the country and Karachi University was the first higher education institution in Pakistan that not only designed and planned the genetics department but established it in 1969.“I always feel proud that the departments of genetics, microbiology and microchemistry have emerged from its parent department of botany and are recognised not only in Pakistan but across the globe as well.”KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi mentioned that at least 10 new academic buildings were constructed and new departments were formed during the period of Prof Dr Siddiqui and Prof Qasier.He observed that the science of genetics had been progressing at an exponential pace since the 1980s, and all fields of biological sciences were now essentially pivoting on tools of research developed by advances in the sciences of genetics.He mentioned that from understanding the physiological consequences of gene expression to forensics in crime scene investigation, genetics had played a role in influencing humankind positivity.“Over the past five decades, the genetics department has produced many graduates who are working in the research centres of agriculture and health sciences and healthcare diagnostics in the country and all over the world.”During the second session, the dean, Faculty of Science, KU, Prof Dr Tabassum Mahboob, informed the audience that the science faculty had some finest research facilities in South Asia and was well-equipped for teaching and research.She said that our faculty stands out in producing human expertise that has contributed greatly to establishing the industrial and research infrastructure of the country.Prof Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan of Jamil-ur-Rahman Centre for Genome Research, KU, said that the completion of the human genome and genomic technologies had been moving forward at a great pace.He mentioned that with time, the workflow had been simplified, the cost was getting reduced and processing datasets were being improved.Another speaker, Ahsana Dar Farooq, from Hamdard University, while presenting her research paper, said that drugs were metabolised mainly by a group of liver enzymes and overdose of any prescribed drug may lead to toxicity. There are various reasons but the interplay between the subject’s genotype, substrate drugs and doses is of a major concern.Earlier, the departmental chairman, Prof Dr Maqsood Ansari, delivered the welcome address while faculty member Dr Shakeel-ur-Rahman Farooqui conducted a panel discussion with Prof Siddiqui, Prof Qasier and Prof Dr Khalid Iraqi. Dr Farooqi also shared the history of the department and the role of the Bohri community in establishing the building of the genetics department. He also spoke of the struggles and hard work of the then administration and chairpersons and faculty members of the department.

from The News International - Karachi https://ift.tt/2rZec4g
The News International - Karachi