Saturday, November 29, 2003

16th Annual Conference of Pakistan Society of Neurosurgeons

Pakistan Society of Neurosurgeons
December 5-6, 2003
Serena, Quetta

Pakistan Society of Neurosurgeons < http://www.pakneurosurgery.org/ > holds scientific meetings annually in which neurosurgeons from all over the country share their experience in the form of scientific papers. These meetings are held in different cities of the country and this year's meeting is being co-hosted by the Department of Neurosurgery, Bolan Medical College, Quetta.

Besides scientific and academic sessions, these meetings are also known for interesting and colorful regional cultural events and social programs. There is an associated Scientific Exhibition where the neurosurgical instrument makers, pharmaceutical companies and medical booksellers exhibit their merchandise.



Pakistan Society of Neurosurgeons holds vote for the election of it's Executive Commitee every two years. A halmark of this year's conference is the General Body Meeting of the society in which election for the next term are being held.



Young Neurosurgeons Forum, another progressive body of the new generation of Pakistani neurosurgeons is also holding its Executive Body Meeting at the occassion of the conference.

On top of it all, weather in Quetta at this time of the year is going to make this an unforgetable experience.

Further information about the conference can be retrieved from the office of the Chairman Organizing Committee, Dr. Hameedullah Buzdar at the following contact info.

Crrespondence Address: B-4, GOR Colony, Queta, Pakistan
Telephone: 92(81) 831 943, 92(81) 837 743
Fax: 92(81) 830 559
Email: buzdar@qta.paknet.com.pk


======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Monthly Egnlish-Language Science E-Digest
=====================================================

Friday, November 28, 2003

Apsena's 9th Biennial Conference

In keeping with its tradition and successes, apsena will hold its 9th
Biennial Conference in Pakistan



DATES/PLACE
December 22-23 in Islamabad
December 27 in Karachi.
Joint Symposium with Enercon on Renewable Energy and Technologies, to
Be Held on December 15-16 in Islamabad.

During his recent trip to the U.S., the Pakistani Prime Minister, the
Honorable Zafarullah Khan Jamali was personally briefed by apsena
officials about the 9th Biennial Conference. The Prime Minister said that he
would welcome apsena in Pakistan and will make plans to attend as the
Chief guest as requested. In addition, the Pakistani Finance Minister,
the Honorable Shaukat Aziz expressed great interest in attending the
conference. The Pakistani Minister of Science & Technology, the
Honorable Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman plans to attend. Numerous prominent
Pakistani Americans have accepted invitation to the conference. These include
Rashid A. Chaudry, CEO, Raani Corporation; Shakil Kidwai,
Vice-President, Global Information Assurance Services, EDS Worldwide; Pervaiz
Lodhie, CEO, LEDtronics, Mohammed Jameel; Director, R&D, Lucent Technologies,
Imtiaz Qazilbash; Advisor to President of Pakistan on Hydroelectric
Projects, Ahmed Yar Mohammad; Energy Trading Consultant, British Petr
oleum, London, U.K. Many others including Safi Qureshey, CEO, Irvine
Ventures have been personably contacted and are expected to confirm
their attendance soon after reviewing their availability to attend. The
conference will feature several workshop/presentations by Pakistani
American scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. For a complete updated
list of presenters, visit our website at www.apsena.org

The objective of the upcoming Biennial Conference is for Pakistanis,
Pakistani Americans and Pakistan expatriates in other western countries
to benefit from the technology and opportunities in each others country
thru collaboration and network. It will offer a great forum for
Pakistani Americans and Pakistanis for networking between and among
themselves; exchanging info and ideas, finding opportunities for collaborating
and/or advancing your interest whether in industry & technology or
research and academia, establishing path forward strategies; catching up with
old friends; and a little bit of fun. There are testimonials of real
life successes thru apsena’s events.

Please make plans to attend. For more information, please visit
www.apsena.org



======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Monthly Egnlish-Language Science E-Digest
=====================================================

Thursday, November 27, 2003

Ultra-modern avionics institute to be set up

KARACHI: The Ministry of Science and Technology has decided to set up a national institute of avionics in Islamabad, supposed to be the only institute of its kind in the region, sources said.

The modalities of the institute were discussed on Monday after a presentation about the institute was made to federal minister incharge of science and technology, Prof Atta-ur-Rahman.

The minister has already constituted a committee on October 22, 2003, to prepare the plan about the institute.

"The Committee comprises officers from KARF, NUST, SUPARCO, Air Weapons Complex etc.," an official communique said.

Setting up the centre is part of the ministry’s plan to develop a scientific and technological base in the country for advanced research in emerging technologies.

The institute of avionics is being set up to achieve self-sufficiency in the fields of avionics engineering, particularly sensors, navigational aids, electronic warfare systems, cockpit displays, secure aerial communication systems, and systems integration capability.

Explaining the need for setting up the institute, Prof Atta said the institute is required to meet the demands of industry, defence,and other important sectors of the economy.

"Avionics is one of the very vital fields, where paucity of trained manpower and absence of the facilities of research in the field is resulting in the form of heavy financial burden and technical dependence," the communique said.

The avionics facilities available at some organisations are antiquated. Therefore new and innovative technologies need to be introduced to achieve self-reliance.

"It will make the country attain total independence from foreign sources for avionics upgrades and integration and keep pace with the fast changing nature of electronics," it added.

Making the presentation, Group-Captain Dr Hafeez, DMD (Avionics) (Coordinator), KARF, said in a modern warfare concept, avionics predominantly determines the effectiveness of the aircraft.

The institute will also carry out research under MS and PhD programmes based on real practical problems in the field of avionics engineering.

"In order to keep pace, which has already been set, with the ever-changing nature of electronics, about two avionics upgrades are required during the structural life of an aircraft," the communique said.



======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Monthly Egnlish-Language Science E-Digest
=====================================================

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Pakistan helps set up Asia Pacific space cooperation body

Daily Times
* Multi-purpose satellite expected to launch in 2005

BEIJING: Pakistan has enhanced its cooperation with the regional countries in the recent years to develop space technology.

Pakistan, China, Thailand, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Iran launched a programme in 1994 to develop a multi-mission small satellite.

Chinese sources said the satellite, which is expected to be launched in 2005, will be used to observe the earth and for telecommunications.

Pakistan, China and Thailand began multilateral cooperation in 1992 in space technology and applications in the Asia-Pacific region, and a substantial breakthrough has been made in the past decade to set up the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation (APSCO).

Representatives from 14 nations and a United Nations organisation gathered in Beijing recently to discuss the formation of the APSCO. Among those who attended the second meeting of the Drafting Group on the APSCO Convention were representatives from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Korea, Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Chile and the UN Economic and Social Council.

Brazil and some countries outside the Asia-Pacific Region came as observers, and it was agreed that the proposed APSCO would be based in Beijing. Addressing a ceremony, China National Space Administration Director Luan Enjie said the Chinese government would support APSO’s establishment.

“The Chinese government will continue strengthening its space exchange and cooperation with other countries under the principle of equality and mutual benefit,” Mr Enjie said. “We are willing to join hands with all nations to make due contribution to the peaceful exploration and uses of space resources for the progress and common development of mankind.” —APP


[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

MoSt to set up space technology institute

ISLAMABAD, : Ministry of Science and Technology has decided to set up National Institute of Space Technology at Islamabad which will be the first of its kind in the Islamic World.


The Institute will offer courses at MS and Ph.D. level and provide advanced research facilities of education and research in Space Science. The Institute will provide sponsorship to upto 100 Pakistani students for Ph.D. studies in space and related disciplines at the World’s leading Universities. The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting presided over by Federal Minister Incharge, Ministry of Science and Technology, Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman at M/o Science and Technology. Addressing the meeting the Minister said until now, Pakistan has been reliant on foreign countries in terms of training manpower and manufacture of equipment related to Space technologies.


The problems increase manifold due to restrictions on Western training and technology in aerospace. The establishment of the Institute, with its own Research Centre, will ensure sovereignty in this sphere. “Due to the continuous advancements made in this discipline around the World, it has become critically important for Pakistan to have a national Institute in Space Technology having advanced facilities of education and research with highly qualified manpower” said the Minister. Earlier the Minister had constituted a Committee under Chairman SUPARCO Maj. Gen. Retd. Raza Hussain to prepare the plan for the establishment of the Institute. Other members of the committee includes Director IST MR. Ayaz Aziz, Dr. Bilal Mughal Senior Consultant SUPARCO and Col. Farouque Khokhar Registrar. The Committee gave a presentation highlighting the need for National Institute of Space Technology. The Minister was informed that the Institute will conduct advanced innovative research and development activities in various disciplines of Space Sciences and Technologies such as satellites, launch vehicles, remote sensing imagery, urban plang and climate/environmental change all of which are vital to the national self reliance and economic well being.


The Institute will offer education and R&D facilities at MS and PhD in the disciplines of Aerospace Engineering, Communications, Computational Mathematics and Earth & Space Sciences. Degree programmes will focus on School of engineering, School of Science, Aerospace engineering, Earth and Space Sciences, Communication systems engineering, Computational Mathematics and Humanities and Social Sciences.

[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

Pakistan to build nuclear power plants

Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: Pakistan has decided to end its dependence on foreign assistance for setting up nuclear power plants and will soon start fabricating its own units indigenously.

"We have the capability to build nuclear power plants locally and if France can manufacture and export such plants why not Pakistan, as there cannot be two yardsticks in this behalf," said Dr Attaur Rehman, minister in charge for science and technology.

Talking to Dawn he said that he has received a go-ahead signal from the federal cabinet to prepare a national development strategy particularly focusing on how science and technology could serve as a vehicle for growth.

"I and my team plan to finalize this strategy within the next three to four months and it would be a document covering sectors like water, energy, communication, power, transportation, information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemicals.

However, he called for increasing allocations for science and technology including for local fabrication of nuclear power plants from the public sector development programme (PSDP) funds. "We should stop begging foreign assistance for our development programmes," he proposed.

China had promised to provide a second nuclear power plant (300MW Chashma-II) at a cost of $700 million. However, no agreement was signed for the project during President Gen Pervez Musharraf's visit to China because Pakistan needed the resources for other pressing projects and in addition Islamabad had put at the top of its priority list closely other cheaper sources of power like hydel, coal and gasification of its thermal, which were capable of yielding returns much quicker than nuclear power plants.

Responding to a question he said that after having formulated recommendations in major sectors, he would be giving a briefing to the cabinet.

Asked about huge funding needed for implementing any development strategy including that for manufacturing nuclear power plants, he said that he would be seeking additional funds over and above the resources already allocated in the PSDP for science and technology.

Asked about plans to attract highly qualified people from abroad, Dr Attaur Rehman said that foreign PhD doctors would have to be brought in to help improve various important faculties. "But we will have to give them big salaries to work in Pakistan," he said and hoped that the government would make available additional funds for the purpose.

He said under foreign faculty hiring programme, the services of 300 foreign teachers would be hired during the next five years.
[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Sunday, November 23, 2003

Bio-technology institutes vital for crop improvement

The Nation

ISLAMABAD (APP)- Government has decided to establish Bio-Technology institutes with modern facilities and sophisticated equipment to embark on enhancing agriculture production.

Bio-Technology technique is vital for crop improvement as it involves the plant tissues at a micro level for transfer of genes as well as producing virus free plants. According to official sources some significant achievements have already been made and work on other aspects is in progress. These institutes will be set up at different places keeping in view their vital requirements.

The technique of production of virus free seed potatoes has been perfected and commercialized with the result that import of seed potatoes has been successfully substituted with locally produced material. The banana crop was severely damaged by Bunchy top virus and with the help of this technique virus free plants have been produced and are being supplied to farmers to revive the crop. Improved varieties of rice and vegetables having higher yields and better quality have been evolved through the use of anther (embryo) culture.

The Bit genes have been used successfully to transfer the desired characters in gram and cotton. Besides, the genetic transformation in fruits and vegetables for inducing characters like dwarfness and seedlessness are being undertaken.

[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Bill Gates phones Musharaf, discusses prospects of investment

ISLAMABAD: Bill Gates, Chairman software giant, Microsoft Corporation, telephoned President General Pervez Musharraf and discussed with him prospects of investment in the field of information technology in Pakistan, reports a news agency.

Gates, one of the world's leading IT tycoons, informed the President during the telephonic converstation that Microsoft was examining prospects of investment in Pakistan. He expressed a keen interest in the opportunities Pakistan offers in the field of information technology and said he would like to meet the President at the World Economic Forum moot in Davos early next year.

President Musharraf said he was pleased at Bill Gates' interest in IT business in Pakistan and briefed him about the tremendous opportunities and potential the country offers in the field. The President said far off places of the country too have been connected to the Internet, the information superhighway and quality IT institutions are attracting talented students and preparing them to become future professionals.

Source: The News International, Friday Nov 21, 2003

[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Friday, November 21, 2003

China To Help Pak Producing Hepatitis-B Vaccine

PakNews

BEIJING, China: Nov 22 (PNS) - China is prepared to help Pakistan producing hepatitis-B vaccine. This was stated by an official of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Zhang Wu while talking to APP in Beijing. He said the relevant institutions of the two countries could undertake joint venture to develop the vaccine.

A prominent Chinese institution, Wuhan Institute of Virology has already sent a formal offer to the relevant institution, through Pakistan Embassy in Beijing. "We are waiting for the response to enter into formal agreement," he added.

Zhang said, the vaccine will be specially prepared after carrying out intensive research according to the virus situation in Pakistan. The task could be completed in a period of three to four years.

According to the sources, China also has showed interest in assisting Pakistan's National Institute of Health (NIH) to expand its classic vaccine production capacity for Expanded Programme of Immunisation.

A Chinese delegation of Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences has recently visited Pakistan and had a meeting federal minister in-charge for science and technology Prof Atta-ur-Rehman desiring collaboration with Pakistan in vaccine production.

Pakistan has been producing oral polio vaccine, measles and tetanus toxoid to a limited extent. The Ministry of science and technology has lately formed a Vaccine Development Task Force (VDTF) to pave way for indigenous production of other vaccines.

The four-member delegation headed by Xianghu Ma, director of Shanghai Institute of Biological Products, had offered establishment of technological cooperation and trade relationships with Pakistan.

Owned by Chinese government, Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences is the first vaccine manufacturer having its offshore commitments. It is a multidisciplinary manpower structure consisting of the professionals in bioengineering, microbiology, immunology and biochemistry.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was founded in 1956. It is the only comprehensive institute carrying out the fundamental researches on general virology in the country and is one of the institutes which have entered the CAS knowledge Innovation Programs.

The institute consists of five departments. A molecular virology research lab, a joint-laboratory of invertebrate virology, a biological control lab, an analytical biochemistry and biotechnology lab, and a virus culture collection center.

China center for virus culture collection (CCVCC) is the largest virus bank in Asia. It collects about 700 different stains of viruses, which cover 90% of the known insect viruses being founded in China and cover 40% of those being reported in the world.

The End.



[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

PakNet Launches Wireless Internet Service

PakCyber

PakNet, a subsidiary of PTCL has launched another innovative product and new service in the field of Networking by the introduction of high speed broadband Internet on wireless. The service has been made available from today.

As no telephone line will be required for the use of this technology it gives mobility to users to access the broadband internet from anywhere in their premises without being confined to their desks.

Previously the broadband access in Pakistan was mostly used through Wireless Radius, digital cross connect and DSL, but this solution of Wireless Internet Virtually extends the user LAN through IP based solutions to the international backbone of Internet. All the functionalities like wireless printing will also be possible with this technology.

This technology has a number of advantages over existing technologies. The first and foremost is the higher speed it can offer to the user. Individual customer can be provided upto 10 MBs at their premises. Secondly, it extends the coverage. The basic system can go upto 15 km and higher systems can extend the range to 40 km.

Wireless Internet Service is also cost effective and it is expected to become even more economical with the passage of time.

Wireless Internet Service will have speeds ranging from 64K to 10Mb and no telephone line required, no disconnections and no busy tones, 24/7 connectivity. It will be used for Audio/Video conferencing and Video and Audio streaming directly from the net. Bulk data transfer for companies involved in Research, Medical Transcription, etc., Multiplayer games, e.g., Quake, Red Alert, etc. and Secure connections will be available for Institutes and Universities.

Initially the technology is being introduced in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.



[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Sino-Pak Nuclear Cooperation For Peaceful Purpose

Paknews



BEIJING, China: Nov 19 (PNS) - A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign office Liu Jianchao reiterated at a regular press conference on Tuesday that Pakistan, China nuclear cooperation is confined to power generation.

This cooperation, he said is only for peaceful purposes.

It is not against international obligations of nuclear non-proliferation and China's exports restrictions. The project was ready to receive the guarantee and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said.

Liu stressed China opposed proliferation of nuclear weapons in any form as a signatory state to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and supported other countries to peacefully use nuclear power under IAEA guarantee and supervision, he said.

The End.

[----Kindling the flame of Science in Pakistan----]

Saturday, November 08, 2003

All Science News will be published here -Jawad