HYDERABAD: The first two-day international conference on ‘women development in engineering, science and technology’ opened at the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology on Tuesday.

The event has been organised by the women engineers development committee of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

Speaking at the inaugural session, Prof Dr Khadija Qureshi, who heads the committee, said that 40 universities of the country were participating in conference. She said scholars from nine countries would presente their papers. She said that 158 papers had been received and 125 of them were accepted after scrutiny. She said 16 sessions would be held at conference.

Two panel discussions would be held to focus women development in science, technology and engineering sectors, she added.

Addressing the session, PEC chairman Najeeb Haroon said that most of water, energy and environmental issues related to engineering and, therefore, they were supposed to be resolved by engineers. He said that potential and competence were something beyond gender classification.

He said that there was no difference between a male and a female engineer as far as professional competence was concerned.

Mr Haroon regretted the lately observed trend that boys and girls were losing interest in engineering.

“PEC is supporting young engineers as far as their educational promotion is concerned. It feels and struggles to see that no engineer having 16 years of education remains jobless,” he said.

Giving his own example, he stated that when he returned from the US, he had dreamt of bringing about a change in the country and entered politics to become an MNA for three years and eight months. However, he added, he felt that no change could be brought about. He said he then resigned as MNA and was later elected as the PEC chairman. He said he tried to introduce reforms in this sector.

“Unfortunately, Pak-istan doesn’t produce even a steel pin, which is manufactured in China. Until recently, products with ‘made in Germany’ and ‘Made in Japan’ stamps had been available in the country. Local industry would have to be promoted to ensure production of goods so that Pakistan could progress,” he said.

MUET vice chancellor Prof Dr Tauha Hussain Ali said that the university believed in gender parity. “MUET is Pakistan’s first university that has its gender parity policy. Participation of male and female students in this conference is just encouraging. Female students must get chances to excel in engineering,” he added.

Fateeha bint Moham-mad from Malaysia’s Malaya University, former PEC chairman Syed Abdul Qadir Shah, Mansoor Abro and others also spoke.

Dr Tehmina Mangan, Prof Dr Arbela Bhutto, Dr Aneel Kumar and others attended the session.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2023