UNIDO to facilitate Pakistan in employing renewable energy resources

July 18 – 24, 2016

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Pakistan’s population is increas-ing day by day and reached up to about 20 million. It is a natural phenomenon that as much popula-tion increases the risk for different diseases also increases. The insuf-ficient health facilities and ............

Genetic Screening and Genetic Counselling.......

Report

STAFF REPORT ISB: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) repre-sentative, Esam Alqararah, said that Pakistan has a great potential in various diverse fields, especially in the renewable

He elaborated that there were a number of localities in Pakistan where residents could easily gen-erate electricity by putting a small turbine in the water flowing in rivers and their tributaries, and they will have no need to get con-nected with any grid station.

At present, the UN body was running six different projects related to energy, environment and capacity building of business community in collaboration with ministries of Industries, Climate Change, Commerce, Science and Technology as well as the Cham-bers of Commerce and Industry,

During the last five years, UNI-DO had spent around $ 20 mil-lion in different projects, which involved capacity building of entre-preneurs, promotion of renewable energy, kerbing industrial pollu-tion and protection of the environ-ment in Pakistan, he added.

In response to a question, he postulated, “The budget is not so important, sometimes a project having high budget leaves a small impact and sometimes a low-budg-et project creates a huge impact in the society.” He then went on to make note of the Clean Technol-ogy (Cleantech) project, currently being executed in eight countries including Pakistan simultane-ously, he asserted that it was prov-ing highly beneficial for entrepre-neurs, innovators and start-up companies to grow and take their ideas further.

UNIDO was managing a global programme called Glob-al Cleantech Innovation Pro-gramme (GCIP), which was a global competition aimed at promoting innovations in the

area of clean technologies, he elaborated. This competition is designed to foster innovation in renewable energy, energy efficien-cy, water efficiency, energy waste and green building, and aims to target Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). “Every year, five selected applicants are se-lected by a panel of judges after evaluating their novel ideas and given $ 25,000 each besides fur-

ther mentorship and training in Silicon Valley, the USA for the global contest,” he said.

Alqararah believed, “We have the policy to create a conducive en-vironment and provide the model role that promotes innovation in this country, and you (Pakistan) will have to minimise trade bar-riers for its entrepreneurs.” The programme was also said to have resulted in such significant effects

that now more than 50 countries were asking UNIDO to imple-ment it for their entrepreneurs, largely because the Cleantech had encouraged entrepreneurs and the start-up innovators in execut-ing their unique ideas.

In his remarks on the environ-mental issues, the UNIDO Rep-resentative said that the organi-sation had planned to set up an industrial waste treatment unit

in Karachi similar to ones already introduced in Kasur and Sialkot in order to minimise environ-mental hazards. All the projects being executed in Pakistan by the organisation were innovative, cost-effective and environment-friendly, he elaborated.

With regard to the agricultural sector of Pakistan, he underlined the need of a strong food pack-aging industry and an effective

grading of edibles to compete in international markets. “Pakistan is a milk producing country, and it needs an improved packag-ing system for dairy products. In this field, we are now planning to launch (a) joint venture,” he maintained. Alqararah also added that Pakistan was the first country to have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in-troduced by UN, of which chap-

ter nine titled `Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation’ related to UNIDO. “This government took the initiative from the beginning to adopt the SDGs, making Paki-stan the first country to adopt the agenda,” he remarked.

The Global Cleantech Inno-vation Programme (GCIP), cur-rently running in 6 countries,

including Pakistan, is a three year programme that aims at develop-ing a sustainable entrepreneur-ship ecosystem, while supporting clean technology innovations in SMEs and startup entrepreneurs to maximize their opportuni-ties to achieve sustainable com-mercial success. The GCIP for SMEs in Pakistan is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Devel-opment Organization (UNIDO) with the support of local and in-ternational partners. The Clean-tech Open, the biggest cleantech accelerator in the United States of America, is the programme’s global partner. The programme will utilize the Cleantech Open’s proven model to support clean-tech startups and SMEs for the implementation of the accelera-tion programme in Pakistan.

The Cleantech Programme in Pakistan focuses on fostering emerging and commercially vi-able clean technology startups to fuel green industrial growth in the country, while small and medium-sized enterprises are provided with training, mentoring, and access to potential investors. The Programme will adopt the GEF UNIDO Cleantech ecosystem ap-proach which, among others, in-cludes close engagement with the private sector, scaling up the mo-mentum for sustainable industrial development and strengthening the policy framework as required. By working closely with SMEs, national ministries, academia, industrial associations, provincial governments, potential investors, partner agencies and autonomous research centers in the country and abroad, this Programme will establish an effective awareness campaign and platform to mobi-lize interest among targeted ben-eficiaries and ensure the adequate buy-in of SMEs.

17th pure mathematics conference kicked off

610 projects of Rs 747 billion completed in last three years

STAFF REPORT ISB: Minister of State for Edu-cation Engineer Balighur Rehman has inaugurated the ‘17th International Pure Mathematics Conference.

The three-day interna-tional conference is the co-organized by Preston Univer-sity. The other co-organisers are Islamia University Ba-hawalpur, and Advanced Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Islamabad. The Higher Edu-cation Com-mission (HEC and Pakistan Mathematical Society are the sponsors of the event.

E m i n e n t scholars, in-t e l l e c t u a l s , m a t h e m a t i -cians and s c i e n t i s t s , from eminent Pakistan uni-versities and abroad, are participating and presenting papers at the conference.

In keynote address on the occasion chief guest, Engineer Balighur Rehman, Minister of State for educa-tion at the outset expressed his profound gratitude to the organizers of the con-ference for inviting him to chair the 17th International Pure Mathematics Confer-ence’ as chief guest. He con-gratulated the organisers and sponsors of the confer-ence for their endeavors to organize a conference on a subject of vital importance such as mathematics.

The minister said it is a universal fact that Math-ematics has played and con-tinues to play a significant role in the development of countries which are ranked among the highly

developed societies of the world today. He said that the incumbent government is making every possible en-deavor to promote the cause of state-of-the-art scientific education in the country. He expressed the hope that the 17th International Pure Mathematics Conference would provide a unique opportunity to participat-ing delegates from within the country and abroad to

share and learn from each other’s experiences.

Eminent among the oth-er speakers who addressed the inaugural ceremony of the conference were Prof. Dr. Qaiser Mushtaq, Presi-dent Pakistan Mathemati-cal Society (PMS) and Dr. Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University. They expressed their gratitude to all the delegates for par-ticipating and presenting papers at the conference. Participation of the foreign delegate was particularly appreciated by them. They expressed the confidence that the participants will significantly contribute towards successful attain-ment of primary objective of the conference – ‘learn-ing and benefiting from each other’s experience’.

STAFF REPORT ISB: As many as 610 develop-ment projects costing Rs 747 billion relating to all sectors of the economy have been completed during the last three years.

According to official

sources in the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, out of total 610 completed schemes, 132 projects costing Rs 51 billion are in education, science and technology and Information technol-ogy (IT) sectors.

Upto 32 projects with a total cost of Rs 9 billion were completed in health sector. The projects which have been completed in-clude Cardiac Surgery Fa-cilities and Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Paki-stan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Capac-ity Building of Teachers in ICT, FATA, AJ&K and Punjab, Kohistan Area Development Project, Model Addiction Treat-ment Center at Quetta and Islamabad, Federal Drugs Surveillance Laboratory, Islamabad, Bannu Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, Provision of State of Art Brachetherapy at NORI Hospital, Islama-bad, Hostel Building for 100 persons at NTB Com-plex, Islambad, Water Sup-ply and Sewerage Schemes

at Layari, Project for Im-provement of Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA), University Balo-chistan, Quetta, Strength-ening of Balochistan, Quetta, Strengthening of Balochistan University of

Information and Technolo-gy and Management Scienc-es, Quetta, Undergraduate Marine Science Labora-tory at Lasbela, University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Utyhal, Development of University of Malakand Dir, Strength-ening of Psychology Uni-versity, Peshawar, Gomal University D.I. Khan, De-velopment of Malakand University, Chakdara, Frontier Women Universi-ty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar, Immediate needs of University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Abdul Wali Khan Univer-sity, Mardan, Poultry and Dairy Animals Training and Research Centers at new Campus at Pattoki, Medical College, Sargodha University, Academic and Research Facilities of Gov-ernment College, Univer-sity, Faisalabad, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Strength-ening of Infrastructure of Shah Abdul Latif Universi-ty, Khairpur, Post Graduate Medical Sciences Research

Centre at Dow University of health Science, Ojah Campus, Karachi, Sukkur IBA, Sukkur, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, In-stitute of Space Technolo-gy, Islamabad, Foreign Fac-

ulty Hiring, Qazi Ahmed Amri Bridge package-III, Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab (M-8) Section-I, Kalat-Quetta-Chaman (N-25), Khanew-al-Multan Inter District Road (Bosan Road), Old Shujabad Road, Realign-ment of KKH at Attabad Lake, Zhob-Mughalkot Sec-tion N-50 Takhtbhai Flyo-ver on Noshera Chakdara Dir Road, Construction/Furnishing of High Secu-rity Block and Conference Hall at Ministry of For-eign Affairs, Office Build-ing of Ministry of Science and Technology, Sialkot Business and commerce Centre, Rehabilitation of MW Radio Broadcasting Network, Safe City Islama-bad, Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro Bus Service and Garment City Companies, Lahore and Faisalabad and Expo Centre, Lahore.

Owing to strict control and professional scrutiny of projects, Planning Commis-sion has saved about Rs 570 billion by way of cost ration-alization which equal to one year PSDP.

Meeting reviews CIIT performanceSTAFF REPORT ISB: Federal Minister for Sci-ence and Technology, Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that COMSATS Institute of Information Technol-ogy (CIIT) has been ranked among top 10 best univer-sities in Pakistan by HEC. But my vision as the Chan-cellor of CIIT is to bring it within top 500 universities of the world.

He was chairing a meet-ing with the delegation from CIIT headed by Dr. Zaidi, Rector CIIT. The delegation gave a detailed review of the Institution performance since its incep-tion in 2000 up till now to the federal minister.

The performance indica-tors showed an overall satis-factory report. On the other hand the Rector CIIT dis-cussed some issues at hand and asked for a favourable

support from the Ministry of Science & Technology as well as from the Govern-ment of Pakistan for the uplift of standards of educa-tion in Pakistan in general and in Science & Technol-ogy field in particular.

Rana Tanveer Hussain

assured full support from the Ministry of Science & Technology wherever possible. He also directed the CIIT delegation to pay full attention to the cause of improving ranking of CIIT not only in HEC but also in the world top 500 universities.

Ahsan for using space sciences for CPEC projectsSTAFF REPORT ISB: Federal Minister for Plan-ning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has directed the authorities concerned to use space tech-nology for mega projects initiated under the CPEC in order to ensure their planned execution

“Accurate research and new technology based so-lutions are required to monitor mega development projects for their timely completion,” Ahsan said while chairing a high-level meeting of officers of the Project Wing at Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms.

He also urged the need for seeking help from SU-PARCO in this regard. The minister said that monitor-ing and execution of devel-opment projects was a key

function of the Planning Commission and the de-partment should play the role of a watchdog.

The minister further said that quarterly reviews and release of funds for the pro-

jects should be linked with their monitoring reports. He emphasized that moni-toring systems be strength-

ened to achieve the targets.He said that delay in pro-

ject’s completion affected its contribution to the eco-nomic growth and resulted in the wastage of resources.

Highlighting the impor-

tance of project manage-ment he said, “We don’t need archives but informa-tion for decision making.

OPNIONDisclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the newspaper.2

EdTweet

PAKISTAN’S textile industry is fast collapsing after the closure of around 100 textiles mills and their Non-Per-forming Loans (NPLs) are massively rising, causing more setbacks to the struggling economy. Out of total of 250 textiles mills, these 100 mills located in Punjab and Sindh are feared to have added another Rs3 billion in the already piled up Rs630 billion NPLs by the end of June 2015, up 5.8 per cent from a year ago. Though most of the increase in NPLs came from the agricultural sector because of the unfavourable weather conditions, the continued closure of small and large textile units is said to have speedily increased what is also termed “bad loans”. Never theless, the way textile mills are clos-ing down due to the lukewarm attitude of the ministry of commerce, their bad loans could soon pose a seri-ous threat to the banking industry as well as the over-all textile sector which is one of the vital pillars of the economy. Banking industry, it is said, has star ted wor-rying as these NPLs are fast becoming unmanageable and has star ted bluntly refusing the textile industry to seek any kind of loaning with the result more and more mills are closing down in both the provinces. While all regional economies are flourishing, Pakistan lags behind in terms of witnessing cer tain increase in expor ts. The dream of achieving $25 billion annual target of expor ts is fast becoming a difficult under taking. The trade gap has widened by 18 per cent from $2.6 billion to $1.76 billion because of the decline in expor ts which have gone down by seven per cent while impor ts are up by six per cent. This all is happening despite the fact that oil prices still are very low and helped reduce the oil impor t bill that went down by almost $5 billion a year. Among various sectors, textile industry has recorded the highest amount of bad loans which is whooping 28.4 per cent followed by automobile/transpor tation (19.2) per cent, electronics (16.8) per cent, shoe and leather garments (15.9) per cent and cement (14.9) per cent. Meanwhile, the govern-ment is believed to have decided to effectively counter what it often terms “propaganda” that growth numbers are exaggerated. Critics of the government do not think that 5.7 per cent GDP growth set for the current fiscal year compared to 4.7 per cent of the last financial year is achievable. This is being said in the backdrop of the much needed tax and energy sector reforms beside the poor performance of the agriculture sector that regis-tered 0.3 per cent negative growth in 2015-16. There is an increasing consensus that without introducing struc-tural reforms, the real turnaround in the economy will remain a distant dream and textile sector is one of the major sectors contributing heavily in country’s economy. The industry needs incentives to come out of the pres-ent highly-sluggish mode to perform and that the gov-ernment has to offer uninterrupted supply of power and gas along with other utilities to enhance overall expor ts which continue to go down due to one reason or another.

Fast collapsing textile sector

AgriTech

AgriTech Shakeel Ahmad Anjum, Ayesha Farooq, Usman Nazir, Imran Khan

Water resources of Pakistan under current changing climatic scenario

ClImATE IS an impor-tant force in driving the agricultural productivity of a particular area either directly (by influencing the crops and livestock) or in-directly (by disturbing the water resources). In the past few decades rapid changes have been observed in the climatic conditions around the globe posing some se-

rious threats to water re-sources and ultimately the agriculture, especially in the developing countries. Be-fore we go into the depth of the topic it is mandatory to discuss few important caus-es of the changing climatic conditions. The rising at-mospheric temperature is generally regarded as the

important factor in this re-gard. The rising concentra-tion of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is mostly found associated with glob-al warming. In the past two and a half century nearly 30% rise in CO2 concen-tration and 150 % rise in the CH4 concentration has been observed, which is mainly because of rapid

urbanization and burning of fossil fuels. This change in the global temperature is resulting in shifted rain-fall patterns. As a result of which the severity and fre-quency of drought periods is increasing. All these facts are in the end negatively af-fecting the water resources.

Pakistan is basically lo-

cated in the near east. Ac-cording to FAO reports total 29 countries fall in the near east category and it is regarded as the poorest area on the globe in terms of water resources because of high levels of aridity. Cli-mate of Pakistan is also arid to semiarid. However Paki-stan is fortunate that it has three major rivers Chenab,

Indus and Jehlum flowing from bordering regions and these play an important role in sustaining the irrigation and agricultural productiv-ity in Pakistan. In Pakistan a major impact of the chang-ing climatic conditions has been observed on the water resources in the near past. Among these rivers Indus is

the major one and its proper use and development is very much essential for sustain-ing agriculture. Basically it is snow-fed river and due to the rise in the atmospheric temperature the extent of the snow is reducing day by day as a result of which the water availability in it is also decreasing. According to the predictions of certain models the runoff in the river Indus will decrease by almost 25 percent by 2050. If we talk about the popula-tion of Pakistan it is increas-ing at a rate of nearly 2.5 % per annum. As a result of which the demand and use of the water is also ris-ing rapidly. In addition as the industrial activity will increase it will require more water and as a result of which the water resources will be over exploited.

Global climatic changes and the water resources are deeply related to each other. Rain is regarded as the major source of fresh water. In the changing cli-matic scenario a rapid shift in the precipitation pattern has been observed. These shifts in the precipitation patterns are very much dev-astating for the countries like Pakistan as the climate is already arid to semi-arid. In addition the rapidly ris-ing temperature will cause the glaciers to melt away as a result the water in snow-fed rivers will decrease in long run and rapid melt-ing can at times results in

extreme weather events like floods on other hand. Ac-cording to a recent report of IPCC the frequency of the intense precipitation days and floods is expected to rise as a result of global warming. The report also suggest that the frequency and severity of drought will also increase on other hand due to the shifted precipita-tion patterns

Now if we look at the river flow in the recent past the water flow in the rivers of Pakistan had increased by almost 40% during 1990s to 2000. This increased riv-er flow is a major indicator of the effects of changing climatic conditions on the water resources as the snow melt due to global warming will initially increase the water level in the snow-fed rivers but ultimately the water reservoirs will shrink in the long run. The other problem Pakistan is facing is the inappropriate distri-bution of the precipitation which is causing frequent drought spells on one hand and extreme weather events on other hand. It is there-fore need of the hour to pay attention to the changing climate scenario. Govern-ment should pay more at-tention for building more water reservoirs and try to conserve as much water as they can. In addition the policies should be made keeping in view the predic-tions of climate change ex-perts and models.

Executive Editor A. M. Zaidi Editor S. A. M. Z. Paras

Incharge Editorial Section Sidra SaifBureau Chief Karachi Syed Ali Raza

www.technologytimes.pkE-mail: info@technologytimes.pk

Head Office Bureau OfficeSuite 5, G Floor, Khudaad Heights, C-89, Sherton Heights, Margalla Avenue, E-11, Islamabad. Abul Hassan Isphahani Rd, Karachi.Phones: +92 336 000 75 65 Phones: +92 321 242 6088 +92 333 638 324 1 +92 333 57 55 926

Volume VII — Issue 28No. 8444/2 (100) Press - 2009

Published by S. A. Mustafa Zaidi Paras Alifor Foundation for Comprehensive Social Development (FCSD)

AgriTech

Sulphur status in soil and its prominence in plantsSulPhuR (S) is crucial nutrient element for plants growth and development. The protein forming sul-phur nutrient, is 9th in the row of 17 essential nutri-ents. Sulphur is an impera-tive nutrient for best plant growth: it is one of the fun-damental macro elements essential for better plant growth. Sulphur is a com-ponent of methionine and cysteine in plants. Quality and yield of oil seed crop can affected due to inade-quate supply of sulphur nu-trient. It is also essential for more flowering and seed set in canola. In legumes sul-phur is necessary for the ef-ficient fixation of nitrogen by the plant. This makes sulphur of fundamental importance in the estab-lishment and maintenance of legume-based improved pastures. Sulphur is also

an essential part of protein needed for wheat grain to produce flour suitable for bread-making.

Sulphur is necessary for protein and enzyme synthe-

sis as well it is a constituent of the amino acids methio-nine and cysteine in plants. Sulphur is also a compo-nent of key enzymes and vitamins in the plant and is

necessary for the formation of chlorophyll.

In the last decades, depo-sition of sulphur (S) has come down by 30-40%, areas of sulphur deficiency

are becoming widespread throughout the world it is due to following reasons

• Use of high-analy-sis low sulphur fer-tilizers.

• Less sulphur reve-nues with farmyard manure.

• Intensive agricul-ture and high yield-ing varieties.

• Declining use of sulphur contain-ing fungicides, and cheap atmospheric inputs caused by stricter emission

regulations. Sulphur is significant

nutritional element in plant and it deficiency shows fol-lowing symptoms in plant.

• Yellowing of leaves and interveinal chlorosis in plants, which is similar to nitrogen deficiency.

• Sulfur deficient plants will grow slower and have a delayed maturity.

• The plants tend to develop thin stems and petioles, and be-come spindly.

• Younger leaves will show the deficiency first than the older leaves due to immo-bility of sulphur in plants.

• Sulfur deficiency could occur early in the growing season when root systems

in younger plants not fully develop. Plants overcome the sulfur deficiency later in the season when soil minerali-zation rates increase and a larger root explore a greater vol-ume of soil.

Sulphur imparts deep rich green colour to plant canopy, especially in alfalfa, and is taken by plants in sulphate (SO42-) form sul-phate is moderately suscep-tible to leaching in sandy soils, though not as much as nitrogen (N), due to forma-tion of less soluble calcium sulphate in soils.

To overcome the prob-lems associated with S deficiency a number of S-containing fertilizers as well as other S containing by-products from industrial processes are available.

July 18 – 24, 2016

Sericulture- An Art and Science of Silk ProductionIn dEvElOPIng coun-tries like Pakistan reduction of rural poverty is a para-mount goal. According to World Bank estimate more than 70% poor people live in rural areas. Various strat-egies have been pursued to address this concern and create new employment op-portunities. The practice of sericulture is one of the im-portant agro- based pursuits with which rural population is associated from ancient times. Sericulture industry provides direct and indi-rect employment to various stakeholders and aids in augmenting their income. Sericulture sector provides sufficient returns to the farmers in less possible time and has an ample employ-ment generating potential. In rural areas it is necessary to focus on a broader spec-trum of the rural economy through improved ways and means. Thus the establish-ment of rural based indus-tries like sericulture, in par-ticular, can be very effective tool for providing support to landless farmers and also the rural women who can also make their earnings through its practice.

Sericulture is both an art and science of raising silk-worms for silk production. It is an agro-based industry which is the cultivation of silk through rearing of silk-worm for production of raw silk and includes the opera-tions of silk fiber produc-

tion. It involves the raising of food plants for silkworm, rearing of silkworm, reeling and spinning of cocoon for production of yarn and fab-ric.

The history of silk dates back to earlier civilizations. The Chinese has used silk since the 27th century B.C. Silk as a weavable fiber was first discovered by the Chi-nese empress Xi Ling Shi during 2,640 B.C. and its culture and weaving was a guarded secret for more than 2,500 years by the Chi-nese. Silk was a profitable trade commodity in China. Even today, silk reigns su-preme as an object of desire and fabric of high fashion. Being a rural based industry, the production and weaving of silk are largely carried out by relatively poor sections of the society and this aspect of sericulture has made it popular and sustainable in many countries.

The World Raw Silk pro-duction is about 126995 MT (2009) mainly from two countries, China and India. China leads the world with silk production of 104000 MT or 81.89% of the pro-duce while India’s raw silk production is 19690 MT. Pakistan share in world trade export of silk is only 0.03% while in import 2.77%. There is a big gap between import and export of Pakistan’s silk. We can not only save a lot of capital but also earn a lot by im-

proving Sericulture industry in Pakistan.

Main occupation of Pa-kistan populations is agri-culture. And silk industry is based on agricultural out-put and it is a labor inten-sive avocation. Silk industry can provide employment for the rural masses ensur-ing economic returns at the individual family level. Silk is a high valued textile. It is suitable for rural people especially women due to fol-lowing reasons:

• Sericulture needs less specialized skill and hence almost all the men and women can be linked to this industry.

• It involves usually indoor activities so suited for women. Rural women can do it near their houses and while doing their daily chores as rearing needs feeding etc at

intermittent gaps.• Sericulture is less

labor intensive be-cause less physical force is required.

• It requires Mini-mum investment which can be ar-ranged easily by the poor.

• Farmers can get good income in very short period of 40-45 days.

• It is eco-friendly oc-cupation because it involves the cultiva-tion of Mulberry.

Mulberry silkworms, Eri silkworms, Tasar silkworms and Muga Silkworms are some species of silkworms. Mulberry contribute 95% of world’s silk production. In Pakistan Mulberry silk production is common. The practice adopted by people for production of mulberry silk is given as:

Mulberry Cultivation: Silkworms feed on mulber-

ry leaves. So cultivation of mulberry trees is necessary for silk production, which provides a regular supply of leaves to the silkworms. There are over 20 species of mulberry, of which four are common: Morus alba, M. indica, M. serrata and M latifolia. Mulberry is propa-gated either by seeds, root- grafts or stem cuttings, the last one being most com-mon. Cuttings, 22-23 cm long with 3-4 buds each and pencil thick, are obtained from mature stem. These are planted directly in the field or first in nurseries to be transplanted later. Af-ter the plants have grown, pruning is carried out and leaves are collected after 10 weeks of pruning. Seeds are obtained from grainages, which are the centers for production of disease free seeds of pure and hybrid races in large quantities. Bombyx mori is domesticat-ed insect which feed exclu-sively on the leaves of Mul-berry tree to produce raw silk in the form of cocoon.

Rearing: The silkworms are actually larvae of the silkmoth. They are reared in specially made trays in rooms with controlled temperature and humid-ity (22°C and 65% RH) and regularly fed mulberry leaves. Entire branch with leaves is fed to Larvae. Pe-riodic feeding and clean-ing is very necessary. At a certain stage they convert

themselves into pupa. The pupa is covered within a thick, oval, white or yellow silken case called cocoon. These cocoons are made from a single filament of material secreted by the pupa and wrapped around itself for protection. These filaments upon harden-ing constitute silk. On an average, 1 acre of planta-tion would yield 240 kg of cocoons in a year, starting from 100 DFLs (Disease Free Layings i.e Eggs). Farmers can harvest the cocoons 4 to 8 times in a year, depending upon whether it is dryland or ir-rigated mulberry,

Reeling: The removal of silk yarn from the cocoons is called reeling. The co-coons are cooked first in hot water at 95-97oC for 10-15 minutes to soften the adhe-sion of silk threads among themselves and unwinding the filaments. Usually 8-10 cocoons are reeled together. There are three methods for reeling: the charkha, the slightly more advanced cottage basin and the costly automatic machines.

Twisting: Prior to weav-ing, the raw silk is boiled in water to remove remaining gum, dyed and bleached, and then woven.

Weaving: Clothes are created by the weaving of thread. Thread is formed by the raw silk and then it is woven into garments by the handloom or power loom.

Moeen Ijaz, Sajid Hussain, Ehsan Raza Asif, Nadia Niaz

Muhammad Haseeb Ullah, Dr. Masood Iqbal Awan, Kamran Akhtar, and Muhammad Zain.

AgriTech Syeda Anum Masood Bokhari and Syed Haroon Masood Bokhari

Alarming threat in Orchards – Over-irrigation

Significance of water in crop production and pho-tosynthesis:

Water plays a vital role in crop production and photosynthesis. Photosyn-thesis helps in creating en-zymes, proteins, vitamins, hormones and amino acids that supports tree growth and fruit production, ad-ditionally oils and sugars in the fruit. Water serves as an incredible source in supplying salts and miner-als to the roots and leaves. On the other hand, water utilized for leaching helps to rid the root zone of salts that can prompt to tip burn and leaf drop, which can diminish the fruit produc-tion. Water moreover helps to get the leaves of the tree cool to avoid over-heating and potential shut down of photosynthesis.

national issue in orchards - decline in tree health

Over-watering also re-sults in considerable de-cline in tree health and the death of many trees because most of the fungal diseases become a problem follow-ing wet weather or in con-ditions of high humidity. Survey and research work declared that most impor-tant fungus among these is Phytophthora root rot, but in wet soils, other fungi may exacerbate injury to already damaged roots. But unfor-tunately, the exact amount of water differs for each grove due to differences in soil types, microclimate,

elevation changes and tree type, size and health.

What if there is excess of water????

Excessive rainfall, over¬ irrigation or poor seepage can bring about flooding, soil compaction and cor-rosion in orchards. Abun-dance of moisture may enhances the incidence of: diseases because it gives a domain perfect to root,

crown and collar rots, veg-etative growth, winter in-jury, splitting/cracking of fruit (eg. sweet cherries), tree mortality and nutrient deficiencies. Soil pH has a big effect on what nutrients will turn out to be either pretty much accessible in overflowed soils.

Excessive moisture can also confines root develop-ment resulting in decreased yields and plant vigour, and making the trees more vul-nerable to tipping over due to high winds or heavy crop loads. Unmanaged water runoff can result in sedi-ment loading into streams and open outlet channels negatively affecting water quality. Roots in the wa-terlogged conditions are

rapidly killed as soil aera-tion becomes impaired i.e. 65% of the underlying root lengths die (eg. Kiwi fruit). Moreover, waterlogged trees cannot take up water and results in one of the main symptoms seen is shriveling of the foliage and shoots, especially in warm climate.

There are various biologi-cal and chemical processes that occur once the soil be-comes waterlogged and de-void of oxygen however how vital these changes are will rely on the period of time the soil remains saturated. When soils become saturated, gas diffusion and exchange be-tween the soil and the atmos-phere is hindered because the air pores are filled with water. This will result in changes in the concentration of gases such as oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Root tips can start to die following 24–48 hours without oxygen. Most research concludes that low O2 and no excess of CO2 is liable to be the significant source of damage associated with short term soil flooding.

Cumulative challenge in Orchards

Managing water in or-chards is an expanding chal-lenge with changing weath-er patterns. Growers should be set up to manage with excess moisture to ensure tree growth and fruit devel-opment. So that chances of tree decline may get dimin-ished, our economy enhanc-es and the anxiety of our lit-tle ranchers gets reduced.

Country

China

Germany

India

Italy

Japan

Pakistan

Pakistan’s Share

In W/ trade

Total

Export In US $

1,706,042,559

97,553,597

163,511,111

389,275,471

112,986,528

686,077

0.03%

2,470,055,343

Country

China, Hong Kong

USA

India

Italy

Japan

Pakistan

Pakistan’s Share

In W/ trade

Total

Top five Importer & Exporter of Silk and PakistanImport In US $

118,744,970

170,969,566

325,773,845

396,912,050

179,738,927

33,949,018

2.77%

1,226,088,376

reporT

Genetic Screening and Genetic Counselling and its Importance in Pakistan

PAkISTAn’S POPulA-TIOn is increasing day by day and reached up to about 20 million. It is a natural phenomenon that as much population in-creases the risk for different diseases also increases. The insufficient health facilities and unawareness have in-creased the death rates. The unawareness about Genetic diseases have increased the death rates. A large number of population of Pakistan even educated people are unaware of the two terms. Genetic Screening and Ge-netic Counselling.

Genetic screening or Ge-netic testing is the study of a person’s DNA in order to identify genetic differences or susceptibility to particu-lar diseases or abnormali-ties. It is like normal tests that are conducted in the ordinary laboratory.

Genetic counselling is the giving of advice to pro-spective parents concerning the risks of genetic disorders in a future child. It gives the prediction about the health care of the offspring of par-ents.

Genetic testing is often carried out when there is going a cousin marriage. Scientists stress on to reduce cousin marriages because of the higher probability of dis-ease causing. Although it is not necessary that the genet-ic diseases are only caused due to cousin marriages. It may be also caused by the environmental factors also. In many states of the United States, the cousin marriage

is prohibited due to the in-crease number of genetic diseases while in the rest of the world, this topic is un-der debate. In Pakistan the rate of cousin marriages is high about 50-60% it means that Pakistani population is at higher risk of Genetic diseases. Pakistan have high ranking in genetic diseases. Pakistan ranks 5th in Ge-netic anomalies, 7th in lung diseases, 8th in Breast Can-cer, while 10th in oral can-cer. So before conducting a marriage we should conduct Genetic screening and Ge-netic Counselling. This will help in the reduction of time and money.

What will be a genetic disease?

Genetic disease is caused due to hereditary material called DNA. Change in the DNA, chromosome or pres-ence of an abnormal copy of a Gene (working sub unit of DNA) cause Genetic diseases. Several factors in-dicate the possibility of a genetic disease in a differ-ential diagnosis. One major factor is the occurrence of a condition among family members that is disclosed when the family history is obtained. The occurrence of the same condition such as multiple miscarriages, stillbirths, or childhood deaths in more than one family member (particularly first-degree relatives) is sug-gestive of a genetic disease. Additionally, family history of common adult condi-tions (e.g., heart disease,

cancer, and dementia) that occur in two or more fam-ily members at relatively young ages may also suggest a genetic predisposition. Genetic disease may also contain Developmental de-lay, mental retardation, and congenital abnormalities.

Genetic testing allows the genetic diagnosis of sus-ceptibilities to inherited or

genetic diseases, In addition to studying chromosomes to the level of individual genes, genetic testing in a broader sense includes bio-chemical tests for the pos-sible presence of genetic diseases, or mutant forms of genes associated with in-creased risk of developing genetic disorders. Genetic testing identifies changes

in chromosomes, genes, or proteins. The variety of genetic tests has expanded throughout the years. In the past, the main genetic tests searched for abnor-mal chromosome numbers and mutations that lead to rare, inherited disorders. Today, tests involve analyz-ing multiple genes to deter-mine the risk of developing

certain more common dis-eases such as heart disease and cancer. The results of a genetic test can confirm or rule out a suspected ge-netic condition or help de-termine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. Several hundred genetic tests are currently in use, and more are being developed.

There are many benefits to pursing a genetic diagnosis.

1. Family planning: Knowing the ge-netic diagnosis can help people to un-derstand how the disorder is passed within a family. It can also inform people about the risks of having an affected child. This information can help people make decisions about hav-ing children and can provide health risks for family members.

2. Medical problems: Identifying the spe-cific gene can help to predict medical problems that may be associated with the gene. For exam-ple, liver problems can be associated with change in the MTM1 gene. By knowing that there are risks for certain medical problems, patients and their doctors can decide together what type of monitoring, treat-ments, or preventa-tive actions they may need.

3. Research: As clinical trials get underway, researchers will want to enroll people in re-search based on their genetic diagnosis. Thus, genetic confir-mation may be a con-dition to participate in future research.

4. Treatment: Know-ing the specific change in gene can help doctors and scientists to under-stand the specific cause of the disorder in the body. By iden-tifying the specific mechanism which is causing the deficit, it can help to target potential treatments

Role of genetic Coun-seling

Genetic counselors help identify families at possible risk of a genetic condition by gathering and analyzing family history and inherit-ance patterns and calculat-ing chances of recurrence. They provide information about genetic testing and related procedures. They are trained to present com-plex and difficult-to-com-prehend information about genetic risks, testing, and diagnosis to families and patients. Genetic counse-lors can help families un-derstand the significance of genetic conditions in relation to cultural, person-al, and familial contexts. They also discuss available options and can provide referrals to educational ser-vices, advocacy and support groups, other health pro-fessionals, and community or state services. Genetic counselors can serve as a central resource of informa-tion about genetic condi-tions for other healthcare professionals, patients, and the general public.

July 18 – 24, 2016

JOJOBA OIl is obtained from the seeds of a plant Simmondsia chinensis (jo-joba). It is about 50 % of seed by weight. In unrefined condition, it shows golden color with nutty smell but in refined condition, it is colorless and odorless. It is a stable oil due to its com-ponents triglycerides when compared with other vegeta-ble oils. It is a part of many cosmetic products that are known as made up from natural ingredients. For ex-ample some products con-

taining jojoba oil are mois-turizers and conditioners.

It is obvious that:• It acts as moistur-

izer as it does not evaporate.

• This oil has similari-ties to that oil pro-duced by human skin known as sebum.

• It can be stored for a long period of time

• It is produced with-out the use of pesti-cides.

• It is hardly traded in pure form.

Why jojoba oil?Resemblance to sebum:

Its properties are of similar to human sebum makes it unique when compared

to other seed oils. Because sebum is also a mixture of wax mono esters that is also a major part of jojoba oil. Sometimes it is used as a substitute of sebum.

Safe to use: It is non-toxic and non-allergenic as it doesn’t fill pores of skin and don’t cause allergic re-actions. It is non-irritant so it can be used on the skin without any fear of dam-aging the skin. It also not cause oily feeling when ap-plied to skin as compared to other oils.

High content of miner-als and vitamins: It con-tains natural minerals and vitamins. Especially Vita-min E is present, which is responsible for hale and hearty skin.

Antibacterial nature: It is antibacterial as it prevents the growth of bacteria and fungus namely Staphlylo-coccus aureus and Candida albicans respectively. It also acts as a fungicide.

Benefits for Hair: Now a days it is a common trend of styling hair through the use of electrical appliances. Different colors are also used to color the hair. In spite of all it is commonly used in shampoos, hair moisturizers and condi-

tioners damage the hair very badly. Due to the use of all these chemical prod-ucts hair loss problems are occurring even in younger generation and even a sim-ple brushing causes hair breakage. So to get rid of all these problems, natu-ral oil should be used to strengthen our hair and to prevent baldness. Jojoba oil is the best organic oil that can be safely used in hair mostly used with damaged hair like dandruff etc. It can be used in all types of

hair. It is non-fatty in na-ture so it can be used with-out any embarrassment.

Act as hair conditioner: It acts as hair oil. It also acts as a hair conditioner. It is used to improve the texture and appearance of hair. It is used as an organic hair conditioner that makes the hair soft. It protects the hair against damage also protects from becoming weak.

Acts as hair shiner: This oil provides shine when applied to hair. It is useful for dry hair. Use of few drops of oil may recov-er the original condition of hair. If hair is damaged due to use of chemicals and harsh environment then it is the best solution

for that type of hair.Jojoba oil for hair growth:

If there is blocked growth of hair then its use provides a lot of smoothing effect and acts as a natural oil to increase the growth of hair. It can also be used to massage the hair and also can be used by mixing with other oils like coconut oil etc.

Benefits for Skin: It has a lot of skin benefits mostly used as moisturizer for dry skin during winter. It is also used in various beauty prod-ucts like lotions. It provides

glowing skin. It stops the formation of wrinkles.

Moisturizer: It can be used as a moisturizer from head to toe. It is also used as face moisturizer. It can also be used as lip balm.

Face cleanser: During day time, a lot of dust accumu-lates on our facial skin. In that situation this oil can be used as face cleanser which removes all dust particles and makes our skin soft. All types of makeup can also be removed by the use of this oil.

Acne Oil: It has anti-microbial properties. Its protein contents prevent bacterial growth which are responsible for pimples and blackheads. It acts as a natu-ral tonic for acne.

reporT Mazhar Hussain, Dr. M. Shahid Ibni Zamir and Naveed Islam

Health Benefits of Jojoba Oil

Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad.

COMSTECH-Technology Times Joint International Workshop on “Science Communication Portfolio: A Guide to Creating Communication Materials that Complement Science”

w w w . t e c h n o l o g y t i m e s . p k

January 10-11, 2017

Application Deadline: November 20, 2016Registration Process:

Step 1: Download application form from www.comstech.org / www.technologytimes.pk Step 2: Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit properly filled form to hanifa@comstech.org. Foreign partici-

pants must submit a scanned copy of first three pages of their passport along with the application form. Step 3: Selected participants will be notified by email. Hence, candidates are required to regularly check their emails.

The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Islamabad in collaboration with Weekly Technology Times invite applications from OIC member states for a workshop on “Science Communication Portfolio: A Guide to Creating Communication Materials that Complement Science” scheduled to be held from January 10 to 11, 2017 at COMSTECH, Islamabad. Applications are invited from profes-sionals working with the media as well as researchers and students. The workshop will provide an excellent opportunity for understanding the role of science and technology in the 21st century and how it can be better communicated to the general public as well as policy makers.

Format of the Workshop: Through panel discussions, group projects and practical exercises, the workshop will endeavor to provide interaction between the participants and experts. Moreover, each participant will be required to choose a topic and present it at the end of the workshop. The interactive sessions in the workshop will allow participants to build upon their skills in a supportive environment.

Objectives of the Workshop: • To provide an introduction to science communication in the broader context of the role of communication in science, and the

cultural, practical and policy related role of science communication in society. • To cultivate communication skills of the participants with particular emphasis on effective writing on scientific topics to a

diverse audience. • Media training – how to work with journalists in print and electronic media • Advocacy – how to provide science advice to Science & Technology policy and decision makers • Improve science communication capacity for stakeholders in science

Workshop Themes: • Science and Society: Increasing Public Understanding of Science and Highlighting Issues of Water, Food, Health and Energy• Communicating Science to Policymakers • Science Communication and Media: Issues and Risks in the Digital Age • Strategy of Science Diplomacy: Past, Present, Future • Genomics, Gene Editing, Bio-diversity, Advanced Microbial Drug Resistance (AMDR) and Reporting on Life Sciences • Risks of Communication: Debate on Climate Change in Science, Politics and Mass Media • Science, Social Media and Fake Science • Media and Scientific Communication: Analysis of Reporting on Life Sciences• Natural Disasters and Reporting by the Media

Eligibility Criteria: Applications meeting the following criteria will be prioritized: a. Have a science background (natural and applied sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics); b. Demonstrate an active role in the dissemination of scientific research findings and popularizing science on different media plat-forms (TV, radio, social networks, blogs, digital media, newspapers and other forms of print and electronic media); c. Capability to train other young professionals on what they have learnt and produce evidence of such.

Registration Fee: There is no registration fee for foreign participants from OIC Member States. Registration fee for local participants is Pak rupees 2,500. Full time students can avail 60% discount in the registration fee.

Local Hospitality: COMSTECH will provide free board and lodging to participants from the OIC countries. Travel grants are not available. Airport pick-and-drop service on arrival and departure will be provided to all participants.

NY college holds global warming seminar in association with Dunya TVnEW YORk CITY: Bronx Community College, af-filiated with City University New York held a seminar in association with Dunya News over global warning and its effects.

Physics and Engineering Department of the commu-

nity college organised the event which was attended by a number of Pakistani students and professors.

Professor Hamid Khan shed light on aftermath of de-

struction caused by different weapons used in different wars in several parts of the world in the past decades.

According to him, be-sides tragic loss of lives dur-ing these wars, other living beings and environment suffered terribly as result of

usage of weaponry. He said that global warming was causing winters to shrink and increase in oceans level by making glaciers melt which concerns all of us.

Dr Ijaz said that warm wa-ter not holds lesser amount of oxygen but heavier amount of carbon dioxide as well which disturbs sea animals. Another speaker, Professor Dr Charles Mike warned that there was a pos-sibility of widespread plague if sea animals started to die in large numbers.

Dr Rashid Zaidi said that unfortunately world powers were not considering an is-sue that should be thought about and taken seriously.

Dr Shamrez Shamoon from Columbia University called for holding workshops and urging governments to stop manufacturing chemi-cal and nuclear weapons.

Dr Shamoon appreci-ated Dunya News efforts for being of help in organ-izining a session that was needed. A Pakistani stu-dent, Ishrat Naseem said that the real purpose of sci-ence and technology was to better human lives and not to develop ways to destruct one another.

4 July 18 – 24, 2016

China to train skilled workforce for Sahiwal Coal Power Plant

GIS set up in Pir Mehr Ali Shah University

STAFF REPORT lhR: China will train skilled work-force for the Sahiwal Coal Power Plant. Technical Edu-cation and Vocational Train-ing Authority (TEVTA) with the cooperation of Beijing LEVCN Electric Technology Ltd China will arrange this training program.

This was stated by Chair-person TEVTA Irfan Qaiser Sheikh in a meeting with 4 member delegation of Beijing LEVCN Electric Technology Ltd. China at TEVTA Secre-tariat. The delegation was led by General Manager LEVCN Electric Technology Ltd. Deng Yuehui and others including Liu Hao, Xu Yanan and Han Zong Chuan. TEVTA offic-ers Akhtar Abbas Bharwana, Aamir Aziz, Azhar Iqbal Shad, Ayesha Qazi and others were also present on the occasion.

Chairperson TEVTA Ir-fan Qaiser Sheikh said that according to this program, TEVTA Master Trainers and students will be selected to train in Pakistan or China which will provide Electri-cal, Mechanical as well as supervisors and middle level engineers for the smooth

functioning of the said power plant. He further added that this training program will be started soon to provide trained skilled manpower for Sahiwal Coal Power Plant.

He also informed that the said organization requested Chief Minister Punjab Mu-

hammad Shahbaz Sharif regarding lack of trained manpower. Chief Minister Punjab directed them to contact TEVTA for the avail-ability of required human resources. This meeting is go-ing to finalize the direction of the CM to provide the skilled manpower for Sahiwal Coal Power Plant.

STAFF REPORT RAW-AlPIndI: The Academic Council of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture Uni-versity Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) has approved estab-lishment of new Institute of Geographic Information System (GIS) and also rec-ommended special seats for the students of Islamic Re-public of Afghanistan.

The 54th meeting of the Academic Council was held at main campus under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR Prof Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad. Senior Faculty members, teaching heads, librarian, Registrar, Deans of Facul-ties, Directors of institutes and Controller Examina-tion attended the meeting.

Chairing the meeting, Prof Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad said that strong academic section plays vital role to give acknowledge-ment and peculiarity to any university and to achieve the defined goals in the domain

of higher education. He said that scholarships, hostel ac-commodations, transport, laboratories, libraries, class-rooms etc and other facilities were also increased and up-

graded keeping in view the in-creasing number of students in wake of new programs.

The Academic Council after thorough discussions

has given approval of PhD in Remote Sensing & GIS, MS Remote Sensing & GIS, BS Geo-Informatics under the newly established Insti-tute of GIS. The VC also

recommended that being future science remote sens-ing and GIS be part of all agriculture discipline.

Under the Prime Minis-

ter’s directive, in a meeting it was also decided that one seat in each faculty will be reserved for Afghanistan’s students.

Being an agricultural University, the council also approved one agriculture course be part in every de-gree program of the univer-sity specially management sciences and information technology. It was further decided that special prob-lem report will be part of each degree program espe-cially marketing or entre-preneurship.

The Council also ap-proved the academic calen-dar of the university for the year 2016-2017. The Aca-demic Council also approved amendments and additions to the courses of various academic programs and took various decisions on the im-provement of the degree programs at the campus. The meeting endorsed the min-utes of last 53rd meeting of the Academic Council.

Alcatel appoints United Mobile as its distributor

STAFF REPORT lhR: Alcatel has appointed Unit-ed Mobile as its second offi-cial distributor of its smart phones to continue its ex-pansion in Pakistan. These smart phones will now be available in United Mobile warranty for the ease of lo-cal consumers.

Alcatel which serves more than 170 countries sights Paki-stan as a strategic growth mar-ket that favours avenues of ex-pansion and growth given the technology centric market it is gradually becoming.

United Mobile, the earner of ISO 9001 certifi-cation on the other hand, has earned the reputation of being a renowned and trustworthy distributor that enables comprehensive and reliable solutions in terms of distribution, thus mak-ing business integration suave and widespread.

Nauman Durrani, Gen-eral Manager Middle East, Pakistan and Egypt Alcatel said, “Alcatel, is an interna-tional brand and one of the largest mobile supplier with 23 R&D facilities and 21 fac-tories across the globe. We

are super excited to start the operations in Pakistan. We see Pakistan as a high growth market and with 3G and 4G penetration our aim would

be to connect the Pakistani’s with the best in class innova-tive mobile devices at afford-able prices”.

Alcatel Pakistan op-erations are led by Farhan Khan, Country Manager Pa-kistan and Afghanistan and his dedicated team covering all major cities in Pakistan.

Syed Ejaz Hassan, Direc-tor United Mobile stated, “Alcatel as a brand resonates deeply with consumers since its inception in France

in 1872 and its long history in the telecommunications industry. We are pleased to officially introduce to our customers their latest in-

novative smart phones with affordable pricing options”.

He further said that for the last 16 years they have been serving their custom-ers in Pakistan with their distribution network and customer care network.

“Customer satisfaction and facilitation is our top priority and this partner-ship has been established with the aim of improv-ing customer services”, he commented.

STAFF REPORT ISB: Telenor Pakistan has part-nered with Engro Corpora-tion to automate, and digi-tize milk collection network across the country with the help of advanced technolo-gy-based mechanism.

An agreement was signed between Irfan Wa-hab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan, and Khalid Siraj Subhani, President & CEO Engro Corporation to for-mally initiate the process. The mega project is set to facilitate about 135,000 farmers through 1,600 En-gro milk collection centers.

The project envisages secure payment and data collection procedures, by digitizing the traditionally existing methods. For the

said purposes, a central server will be hosted by Telenor which will collect data from Engro milk col-lection centers across the

country where special soft-ware platform will be set up by Telenor. The data trans-mission will occur through Telenor network.

Irfan Wahab Khan, on the occasion, said, “This partnership is yet another step in fulfilling our vision of empowering Pakistan and a testament to our com-mitment of bringing the benefits of technology to the grassroots. Dairy being a sprawling business in Pa-kistan needs advancement so that some unnecessary hardship could be removed from the farmers’ lives. As

a result of this partnership, dairy farmers could focus more on their harvest.”

Khalid Siraj Subhani while commenting on the development said, “This partnership is of para-mount importance for Pa-kistan’s dairy industry and showcases our commitment to developing the local in-dustry by introducing tech-nological platforms to the rural communities of Paki-stan. He further said that the project will result in further development of the dairy innovation ecosystem in the country.

Telenor to automate nationwide milk collection network with Engro

STAFF REPORT ISB: In an effort to developing top quality higher educa-tion system for transforming Pakistan into a Knowledge Economy, the government has approved eight projects worth Rs 36 billion, which include establishment of university sub-campuses in districts, AJK Women Uni-versity and PhD scholarship programme.

Thousands of students belonging to far-flung ar-eas would be benefitted from university sub-cam-puses or campuses to be set up in every district, ac-cording to official sources. As many as 10,000 PhDs will be produced in next ten years under the US-Pakistan Knowledge Cor-

ridor to provide Pakistan high quality human re-source for next decade.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has already been instructed to

establish a task force on ‘Higher Education and Em-ployment’ to align academic

programmes of universities with job market, and regulate programmes on basis of job

opportunities, development priorities and research needs.

The Central Devel-opment Working Party (CDWP) has accorded the approval of eight projects in this regard in a recently held meeting chaired by Minister Planning, Devel-opment and Reform Prof Ahsan Iqbal, and attended by senior officers of the provincial governments and ministries concerned.

The second important projects is the establish-ment of university cam-puses and sub-campuses in districts, which would cost Rs 4.587 billion, and was recommend to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

STAFF REPORT lhR: LUMS Center for Entrepre-neurship, in collaboration with Ilm Ideas 2 and Tech-stars, organized a themed Startup Weekend event at LUMS to scout and support innovators looking to ad-dress the enrollment, reten-tion and learning outcome challenges in the education sector of Pakistan.

The event started with Dr. Zartash Afzal Uzmi, LUMS faculty member and facilitator for Startup Week-end Lahore, commencing the proceedings and open-ing remarks presented by Shahida Saleem, Team Lead Pakistan Education Innova-tion Fund (Ilm Ideas 2). From among the 130 par-ticipants of the Start Week-end, a total of 63 startups made their elevator pitches to the audience. Nineteen startups were shortlisted to continue with the competi-tion and mentoring support for the rest of the weekend.

Participants worked tire-lessly throughout the week-end including the nights with a passion that was palpa-ble. The successful business people and educators came in to mentor and coach the startups and help them pol-ish their business models, financials and even presenta-tions. The hard work of all

the teams culminated where all the 19 shortlisted teams pitched in front of a panel of judges comprising of Khur-ram Zafar, Abid Malik, Faisal Bari, Izza Farrukh, Shahida Saleem, Imran Sarwar and Gauher Aftab.

At the end of the compe-tition, Ilmistan, an online platform for teachers train-ing won the competition. Keep Schools Safe, a startup focused on imparting disas-ter preparedness training to schools, came in second.

According to the found-ers, there are hundreds of thousands of kids whose ed-ucation suffer because of dis-ruptions caused by natural disasters and people-caused incidents in Pakistan.

Edu Care, a startup formed by students of Na-mal University that aims to build an online networking platform to connect students in any part of the country

with volunteer tutors and coaches, came in third.

The founders of Educare dedicated the win to the generous donors of Namal University that enabled them to seek good educa-tion and gave them the confidence to start their own ambitious venture. The Audience Favorite vote went out to SS Gamifica-tion, a team who is working on gamifying social sciences subjects in schools.

Addressing the partici-

pants of the Startup Week-end, Shahida Saleem of Ilm Ideas 2 said,

“You all blew me away! Your energy, your passion and your commitment is infectious and I believe that a lot of social enterprises we saw develop over the week-end will play a pivotal role in providing 25 million out of school children access to good education.”

STAFF REPORT FAIS-AlABAd: Speakers have called for steps to combat environmental hazards and adopt healthy lifestyle to re-duce diseases and mortality rate as 3.8 million people die of diabetes each year only; whereas cancer kills 1.37 million people.

They were addressing at one-day symposium titled “one health” arranged by US-Pakistan Center for Ad-vanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, Univer-sity of Agriculture Faisalabad at New Senate Hall.

The session was chaired by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technol-ogy Chairman Dr Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani, whereas Philmona from Kenyan Embassy Islamabad; Uni-

versity of Agriculture Fais-alabad Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Punjab Medical Col-lege Principal Alfareed Za-far and other notables also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Anwar-ul-Hassan Gi-lani said that changing life-style, junk food and unphys-ical activities were causing obesity that can be called the root cause of the many diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Diabetes Mellitus is the sixth leading cause of death, killing 3.8 million people each year. He showed his concern that two thirds of them are living in the devel-oping countries.

Talking about the chal-lenges, he said that plenty of food/high caloric intake, dependence on impure and processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, environmental Factors/pollutants and less distance and less time for relaxation and physical activities were posing the serious threat for the peo-ple. He stressed upon the natural health which is the best maintained by lifestyle change including physical exercise and mental relaxa-tion; nutritional measures/

dietary habits and function-al and organic foods.

He said that eight mil-lion people are hospitalised each year for the ailments caused by the ingestion and side effects of prescription drugs. Taking about the herbs, he said that noth-ing is better than ginger in stomach disorders. He also said usage of garlic saves oneself from cardiovascular diseases and ginkgo from old age dementia;

Professor Dr Iqrar Ah-mad Khan said that the county was producing the surplus food for the people. But on the other hand, 40 percent of our population was malnourished. He said that lack of awareness, af-fordability issue, unhealthy lifestyle and other factors were provoking malnutri-tion in the country.

He said that in the nine-tieth century, the region of subcontinent was facing the famine and extreme hunger situation. On the recom-mendations of Famine Com-mission in the late of the nineteenth century, the Pun-jab Agricultural Education and Research Institute (now UAF) was established and now we have abundant food.

Dr Alfareed Zafar said that the country had emerged as the polio free country. He stressed upon the need to present oneself for accountability. He said that dengue, zika and congo viruses diseases were break-ing out due to lack of clean-ness which saves from the many diseases.

US expert Dr Nancy J Al-len said such session would help address the issue. She also said that animals are also the part of this world which are being ignored. Dean Fac-ulty of Veterinary Sciences Professor Dr Zafar Iqbal said that such session was aimed at raising the awareness. He said that people must be edu-cated about the healthy life-style, and food. Dr Qurban Ali, Dr Muhammad Ashghar from PMC, Dr Kashif Sal-eem and Dr Imran Arshad from UAF, Dr Rubina Tabas-sum from Pinum also spoke on the occasion.

10,000 PhDs to be produced under Pakistan-US knowledge corridor Startup Weekend Lahore Ed-Innovation 2016 attracts over 130 education innovators

Speakers call for concrete steps to combat environmental hazards Intel IoT platform paving

road to car of futureSTAFF REPORT ISB: Telematics offerings expand daily, both in number and capabilities. Driven by con-sumer demand for vehicles that extend the connected lifestyle, provide enhanced safety, and reduce environ-mental impact, the market

for in-vehicle telematics is surging, says the statement. The automotive industry is now the third-largest group filing technology patents and connected cars are the third-fastest-growing technological device, after smart phones and tablets.

PU students honoured

ZTBL, Al-Ghazi Tractors to improve farmers’ economy

STAFF REPORT lhR: Punjab University (PU) students from various de-partments participated in various events conducted by PTV and Higher Education Commission and got promi-nent positions.

PU Students including Naveed of Pakistan Study Centre and Sami ul Haq of Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technol-ogy clinched 1st position in PTV Azadi Quiz com-petition organized by PTV Headquarters and received Rs 50,000 as cash prize.

Students including Me-hboob of Pakistan Study Centre and Sameen of the Institute of Biochemistry & Biotechnology got run-ner up trophy in Independ-ence Day quiz competition organized by the University of Engineering & Technol-ogy Lahore in collaboration with Higher Education De-partment Punjab.

STAFF REPORT lhR: Zarai Taraqiati Bank Lim-ited (ZTBL) has agreed to extend cooperation with the leading tractors and ag-riculture equipment manu-facturers Al-Ghazi Tractors Limited (AGTL) to look into the possibilities of im-proving farmers’ economy and increasing their yield.

This was agreed during a meeting between ZTBL CEO Talat Mahmood and Chair-man of Al-Ghazi Tractors & President Al-Futtaim Automo-bile Division Dubai Len Hunt.

A committee comprising members of ZTBL and AGTL will be formed to develop a mechanism to improve the farmers’ economy and crops yield. In addition, the com-mittee would devise a formula for more cooperation between the two organizations.

The two parties further agreed on the need for in-

troduction of brand new combine harvesters re-placing the ‘second-hand’ market, and facilitating farmers in acquiring new harvesters. AGTL sought ZTBL’s support in launch-ing and financing of the new harvesters, while as-suring the delegation that it would revert with the newly developed attrac-tively priced harvesters.

It was suggested by AGTL that the loan markup be made more attractive for farmers by diverting the Green Tractors

money toward reduced mark up. The ZTBL delegation said the institution would also look into the possibility of bulk financing to facilitate service providers for buying and renting out the agricul-ture equipment such as these harvesters. AGTL CEO told the meeting that the organi-zation has heavily invested in parameters that have directly contributed in the improve-ment of quality of its prod-ucts and invited the ZTBL delegation to visit its manu-facturing facilities.