Government renews focus on science, innovation

June 17, 2025 (MLN): The government renewed its pledge to position Pakistan as a leader in science, technology, and innovation during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the International Nathiagali Summer College, held at the National Centre for Physics in Islamabad.

Addressing the event, Minister for Planning and Development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, emphasized that innovation has become a necessity in today’s techno-economy.

“Knowledge is power, data is currency, and innovation is national security,” he stated, underscoring the government’s approach to national development.

The Planning Commission has approved two significant projects aimed at boosting high-tech research and development.

One of them is the Dr. A. Q. Khan Materials Research Institute, launched in partnership with the University of Cambridge.

This institute will specialize in advanced materials, focusing on energy security and high-tech manufacturing.

The second project, the Emerging Technologies Centre, carries an investment exceeding three billion rupees and will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, additive manufacturing, and digital transformation.

Looking ahead, three additional national centres are scheduled for launch in the coming year: the National Centre for Quantum Computing, the National Centre for Nanotechnology, and the National Centre for New Manufacturing.

These institutions will be dedicated to strategic technologies crucial to global competitiveness.

These initiatives will add to the seven National Centres of Excellence established during the 2013–2018 period, covering diverse areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, big data and cloud computing, robotics, space applications, applied mathematics, and livestock genetics.

Together, these centres form the backbone of Pakistan’s scientific infrastructure, as per the press release.

To consolidate these advancements, the government is rolling out Quantum Valley Pakistan—a visionary innovation platform focused on strategic sectors like agritech, biotech, mineral technologies, and advanced materials.

Additionally, under the URAAN Pakistan Framework, the government has launched STED (Science, Technology, and Innovation for Economic Development), a program grounded in the Triple Helix Model that integrates academia, industry, and government.

STED aims to ensure scientific breakthroughs are translated into real-world applications rather than confined to academic journals.

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