2. Vision and Objectives

2.1 Vision

7. To achieve the security, prosperity and social cohesion of Pakistan through equitable and sustainable socio-economic progress using science, technology and innovation as central pillars of development in all sectors of econom-ic activity.

2.2 Policy Objectives:

8. The following list of objectives is intended to be broad-based, with the understanding that the achievement of desired results would be gradual and incremental over the life-time of the policy implementation process, within the prevalent economic constraints. It is, however, premised on a major initiative of reforms and generous funding under a strong political com-mitment anchored in the firm belief that eco-nomic progress, social harmony and national security critically depend on our ability to mas-ter and judiciously apply modern science and technology.

9. The principal aims and objectives of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of Pakistan are:

Socio-economic Development

i. To improve the quality of life of common people in line with the parameters of Mil-lennium Development Goals and Interna-tional Human Development reports, en-suring sustainability and environmental preservation.

ii. To create an industrial and economic en-vironment, in which gainful employments are available to people of different abili-ties, enabling them and their families to lead a healthy, secure, dignified and con-tended life.

iii. To make Pakistan self-reliant with respect to its strategically important needs such as energy and food, through a determined campaign of maximizing the use of indigenous natural resources and enhancement of agricultural produce.

iv. To help create an S&T savvy society, through measures that create enlighten-ment in the masses, confidence in their ability to control their destiny, and a heightened sense

v. of responsibility to make Pakistan a pro-gressive and prosperous country, devoid of social ills such as religious/ethnic/gen-der discrimination, dishonesty, corrup-tion, nepotism and disrespect for law.

Human Resource Development

vi. To encourage natural inquisitiveness of young students in elementary schools and satisfy their curiosity by providing them science-based understanding of natural world. The gifted youngsters are to be iden-tified at early stage for their possible future careers in basic and applied sciences.

vii. To assist the educational system at second-ary and tertiary level in making a transi-tion towards ‘real understanding of core scientific concepts’, as compared to accre-tion of scientific knowledge through un-critical rote learning.

viii. To strengthen R&D activities in Higher Educational Institutions through generous funding, availability and maintenance of experimental facilities and resources for international mobility. The encouragement of such activities can be made through fi-nancial rewards, national recognition, me-dia exposure and high respectability in the society, creating role models and celebri-ties among scientific work force.

ix. To take measures for creating a competent corps of technicians and engineers, with creative approach towards production and design in a wide range of disciplines in order to upgrade the national industrial base, capable of meeting local demands and expanding exports of products and services.

x. To enhance skill levels at all strata of population engaged in different formal and informal sectors of economic activity through a network of training centers, con-tinuing education facilities and in-service qualification improvement programmes.

R&D Infrastructure

xi. To improve performance of existing R&D institutions and upgrade their field and laboratory facilities alongwith creation of new, well-equipped, multi-disciplinary research facilities at national level in ar-eas of emerging technologies. Centralized laboratory facilities to be created to avoid duplication of expensive equipment in dif-ferent organizations.

xii. To focus on demand driven research ef-forts, with the objective of maximizing the use of indigenous know-how and local resources for value-added products that meet the market requirements at home and abroad.

xiii. To make R&D careers attractive enough for the brightest students to choose Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathemat-ics education as their highest preference. The trilogy of good salary, good research facilities and good administration is vital for satisfactory output of research work-ers.

xiv. To set up institutionalized mechanism for coordination within scientific community of the country, linkage with industrial sec-tor, and partnership with international re-search establishments.

xv. To create enabling environment for inno-vation to flourish in small and medium enterprises in such a way that S&T based products at different levels of sophistica-tion are developed and marketed for the benefit of common people. The innovation culture should give rise to entrepreneur-ship with appropriate financial arrange-ments.

xvi. To give significant level of attention to ba-sic research, which is known to provide a solid base for technological advances and to keep emerging technologies in focus, in view of their highest potential for leap-frogging in a highly competitive world.

S&T Management System

xvii. To strengthen/revamp the system of S&T policy formulation, implementation, mon-itoring and overall control of the sector, keeping in view the wide distribution of relevant subjects across different minis-tries/departments at national and pro-vincial level and the Federal structure of Pakistan having provincial autonomy in key areas of concern for the development of S&T system.

xviii. To devise a legally binding system for ensuring the continuity of policies, imple-mentation of relevant decisions, enforce-ment of quality controls, establishment of IPR regime and other Acts, Laws and Ordinances that guarantee the robustness of the envisaged Policy Implementation framework.

xix. To ensure that National ST&I policy has a resonance and coherence with sectoral policies that envisage the execution of ma-jor S&T based plans for conventional and renewable energy supplies, information technology access, health facilities, indus-trial production, environmental preser-vation, transport and housing projects, agro-based products and educational pro-grammes.

10. To achieve the overall objectives of the policy, the following undertakings are envis-aged:

Vision and Objectives

Policy Actions:

A1. Declaration of the political will that S&T capacity building would be a central pillar of national development strategy and the R&D expenditure would be enhanced to 1.0% of GDP by 2015 and 2.0% by 2020.

A2. Commitment to create a long-term non-partisan ST&I policy with the consensus of all stake-holders and putting in place a legal framework for ensuring conti-nuity of the policy and allocation of re-quired funds.

A3. Issuing the guidelines for shifting the focus of R&D towards demand side with full participation of private sector and employing mechanisms to foster in-novation.