Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi chairs meeting of senior officials at launch of scientific diplomacy in Islamabad (16.01.19)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi chairs meeting of senior officials at launch of scientific diplomacy in Islamabad (16.01.19)
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Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said the platform of scientific diplomacy needed to be made strong and result oriented.

“Earlier we launched economic diplomacy on directive of the prime minister. Now we have embarked upon the journey of scientific diplomacy,” Mahmood Qureshi said while addressing the launch of scientific diplomacy, with the aim to promote contacts with the centers of excellence of science and technology abroad, by the Foreign Office at a high level inter organisational meeting in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from different sectors including health, education, science and technology, climate change and food security.

Participants of the meeting discussed in detail all the possible aspects of contacts with international scientific organizations keeping in view the UN sustainable development goals and socio-economic priorities of the present government.

The meeting also deliberated upon the successes achieved in the field of science including the number of scholarships given to Pakistanis in the field of science as well as the contributions made by Pakistani experts in timely diagnosis of dangerous diseases such as cancer.

FM Qureshi said unfortunately, less attention was paid to health and education sector.

“We have the best of the people who could prove to be fruitful for the country. We have inducted experts in the advisory council for foreign affairs,” he said.

In the backdrop of the environmental challenges facing the country including smog and water crisis, he said they needed collective effort for tackling the environmental changes.