Science, technology and engineering play a catalytic role in the growth of economic sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, energy, mining, manufacturing and service sectors. Technology is said to be the lifeline of industry. It caters to improved productivity and rapid industrialisation.

Unfortunately, this key element of development has not been recognised as such and thus not been provided with a conducive environment. For almost a decade, Pakistan has virtually remained without an industrial policy and a worthwhile science and technology policy.

There has been a lot of lip service and programming at the highest levels, but, it was accorded least priority .For example, the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) has not met since December 1, 2001. The commission headed by the prime minister, is the apex body for science and technology development. Being dormant from the very early days of its inception in 1984, the NCST was revived in the year 2000 but since then it could hold only two meetings. The commission is mandated to promoting science and technology, accelerating scientific and technological capacity building, and creating linkages with production sector and development plans, by implementing major projects.

Though a number of projects were initiated in the last meeting of the NCST, with the exception of those in higher education, most of them have run into snags due to lack of political will and commitment. There has been no review of the vital projects at the NCST level. For instance, Pakistan Technology Board was constituted with the objective to commercialise indigenous technologies and to channelise transfer of advanced technologies in capital intensive projects. Nothing concrete has been done in this direction.

A half-hearted effort was made in 2005 to launch the, “technology-based Industrial Vision and Strategy for Pakistan’s Socio-economic Development”. It was a non-starter as the assignment was given to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), whereas the key stakeholders were not associated with the exercise.

The study, along with a set of recommendations to optimise technology’s contribution to economic growth, was nonetheless presented to the government in October 2006. The Cabinet approved the document after almost a year---on August 18, 2007 but till now the proposed action plan has not been initiated.

The 270-page report has critically analysed the status of agriculture and major segments of the industry like textiles, leather, materials, chemicals, engineering goods, electronics, and infrastructure including energy-power, telecommunication, construction and housing and transport. It recognised the gap that exists between Pakistan and the developed countries, and highlighted need to bridge it through strengthening its technological and engineering base and formulating a long-term industrial policy.

Outline of an action plan, separately for each sub-sector, provided for improving the policy and regulatory framework, technology up-gradation, incentives for value-addition, improving product quality and manpower development, had been proposed. The government was urged to invest $10-12 billion by 2010 for increasing the share of industrial sector in GDP to 25 per cent and the share of engineering goods to 30 per cent of manufacturing, in the first phase. It was expected this would provide goods of international quality at competitive prices and facilitate in exploiting the niche in global translocation of industrial production, which could take Pakistan to the path of rapid industrial development. All these objectives seem unrealistic to achieve under the given conditions.

The new government, which should be pro-active in promoting industrial technology, would be well advised to consider adopting concrete measures, on priority basis. For creating global competitiveness in all sectors of economy, it is needed to simultaneously develop environment, technological infrastructure and policy instruments.

The government should formulate the policy for selection, assimilation, diffusion and use of technology in industry and business as well as in agriculture, infrastructure and other economic sectors. Also, the government has to play key role in commercialization of the selected technologies, through a system of cooperation between R&D on one part and industrial and related sectors on the other.