KARACHI, Dec 15: A National Commission on Biotechnology has been constituted by the government to monitor new developments in the field of biotechnology at the national and international levels.

This was stated by the chairman of the Department of Biotechnology, University of Karachi, Prof. Dr. Abid Azhar, on Saturday.

He said the commission will prepare a national biotechnology policy and action plan and will also act as an advisory body under the financial and administrative control of the Scientific and Technological Research Division, Ministry of Science and Technology.

Dr. Nasim Anwar, Adviser on Science COMSTECH, and Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik, member Biosciences, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, will be the chairman and secretary of the commission, respectively.

Other members of the commission include Prof. Dr. Abid Azhar, Dr. Khalid Mahmood Khan, Dr. S. Qasim Mehdi, Dr. Ahmed Mukhtar Khalid, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Masoom Yasinzai, Dr. S. Riazuddin, Dr. S. Nasir Hussain Shah, Jahangir Khan and Dr. Ali Habib.

The commission has been assigned the task of taking necessary steps for the speedy induction and promotion of biotechnology at all levels.

The commission would recommend steps for strengthening and expanding education, training and research facilities in the field of biotechnology.—APP