FAISALABAD, Jan. 16: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has decided to accelerate its efforts to train more scientists of Muslim countries of the developing world with the collaboration of other scientific organizations.

This was stated by member, Biosciences and Administration, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik. He was speaking to participants of the two-week training workshop on 'advanced techniques on biotechnology', organized jointly by the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) and COMSTECH (Committee on Science and Technology of the OIC), here on Friday.

He said that biotechnology and its commercialization constituted billions of dollars annually in the world economy. Muslim countries, he said, had to generate expertise and skilled manpower in biotechnology.

He further said the PAEC, having the tradition and obligation to lead the Muslim world in scientific training and technology transfer, had established its first centre of biotechnology which was now a state of the art facility.

APP adds: Enlisting the services of PAEC in agriculture, Dr Malik said that a variety of high-yield, pest-resistant and soil-suitable crops had been introduced as a result of research programmes conducted by the commission.

The commission had also been supporting services like reclamation of saline lands, development of bio-fertilizers and vaccines for animal diseases.

He offered the services of NIBGE and its faculty for the development of biotechnology centres in developing countries as part of its efforts towards international collaboration.

Dr Ahmad Mukhtar Khalid, Director, NIBGE and workshop coordinator, thanked COMSTECH for its assistance to organize the event. As many as 15 participants from developing nations attended the two-week deliberation with resource persons from the UK, Japan and Qatar.