Sustainable Development through Science and Technology

Abstract

After 50 years of nationhood, about 60 million Pakistani citizens still live in absolute poverty which is a condition so debasing that it robs the poor of the very potential of their genes. Illiteracy, malnutrition, high maternal, child and infant mortality afflict more than 50% of Pakistan’s population of 144 million. Due to mismanagement of its human and natural resources Pakistan is in a vicious cycle of economic dependence (Figures 2 & 3) with high indebtedness, low growth rates of exports and GDP and a decaying education system. During the last two decades Pakistan has engaged in firefighting through external debt re-schedulings and increasing its dependence on the Bretton Woods institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund) and their richer shareholders. As a result the important development needs of the nation’s human capital have been grossly neglected. It has failed to develop its human capital, particularly its domestic scientific and engineering communities and thus is not ready to meet the growth challenges of the 21st century. It is postulated that Pakistan must, on a crash basis, develop a domestic scientific and technology (S&T) community and create a scientific infrastructure if it seeks to become economically and politically self-reliant. With about 100 scientists/engineers for a million population, Pakistan’s current S&T capacity is woefully inadequate to be able to capitalise on the wealth of opportunities that are becoming available through globalisation. The S&T capacities of Pakistan’s competitors in the world marketplace are significantly higher (300 per million for India; 600 per million for China; 2,600 per million for Korea). Pakistan needs both enhanced S&T capacity and the associated education system if it is to increase the “science-cum-knowledge content” of its exports and GDP. This is a sine qua non for achieving expanded economic well being for its citizens and providing the wherewithal for ensuring their security from internal and external threats. Not doing so will leave Pakistan at the bottom of the country league table in terms of poverty, security and even liberty. This is a future that Pakistan should not have.