Karachi's ICCBS to host national reference laboratory

IV Report 

KARACHI: In a significant development, the federal government and the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, signed an agreement to establish a national reference laboratory. The signing ceremony took place on January 6, in the presence of Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research (NFSR), Rana Tanveer Hussain.

Under the agreement, the ICCBS will provide testing facilities for pesticide residue and related analyses through its Industrial Analytical Centre (IAC) at the HEJ's research unit. The project is expected to be completed within 36 months, with the federal government providing timely funding. The testing facility can be extended for an additional three years with further federal funding.

The agreement was signed by Director General of Plant Protection Waqas Alam and ICCBS Director Prof Dr Farzana Shaheen, in the presence of Minister Hussain, Federal Secretary NFSR Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, Federal Secretary for Industries and Production Saif Anjum, Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi Prof Dr Khalid M Iraqi, and Professor Emeritus and former federal minister for Science and Technology Prof Dr Atta Ur Rahman.

Minister Hussain emphasised the country's ongoing food insecurity challenges and urged ICCBS scientists to contribute to improving the country's agriculture and livestock sectors. He noted that ICCBS's Biotechnology Research Wing can play a crucial role in developing healthy seeds for crops like cotton and wheat, enhancing agricultural productivity, and meeting the country's food requirements.

 

 

 

 

  

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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