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Atta-ur-Rehman

appointment hailed

KARACHI: The Pakistan Society for Microbiology has hailed the appointment of Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, as the Federal Minister for Science and Technology.

In a statement here the secretary of the society Prof Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, lauded the appointment of Prof Atta for this very important assignment with lots of responsibility and challenges.

She thanked Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf for selecting a very-highly qualified, experienced and committed scientist with a vision for progress and prosperity of the country.

Dr Shahana said selection of Prof Atta reflects an earnest desire on the part of the government to improve the status of science and technology which at present appears to be in a sorry state.

She said it seems that finally there is a realisation about the critically important role of science and technology can play in the national development.

Dr Shahana pointed out that Prof Atta has been advocating the cause of the science and technology for a long time. Now as the head of the ministry of science and technology, he is in a unique position to convince the authorities that investment in science is not a wastage of natural, but the national development programmes. There should be an increase in the budgetary allocation for science and technology to meet the challenges of the new millennium.

She was confident that Prof Atta will do his utmost for the promotion of high-level scientific research and development activities in the universities and research centres of Pakistan.ÑAPP