FIRST SESSION OF PAK - US JOINT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The inaugural session of the Pakistan-U.S. Joint Committee on Science & Technology is being held in Washington on 19-20 July 2006. A three-member Pakistan delegation, led by Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman, Higher Education Commission, is visiting the United States for this purpose. The other members include Secretary, Science & Technology, Dr. Parvez Butt and Mr. Shahid Kamal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Science & Technology Dialogue is part of the several initiatives agreed between Pakistan and the United States during President George W. Bush's visit to Pakistan in March 2006. The two sides had inter alia decided to establish the Pakistan-U.S. Joint Committee on Science and Technology at a higher level, with a view to developing collaborative activities and relationships between the scientific and technological communities and institutions of both countries.

Dr. Atta-ur Rahman is the co-chair from the Pakistan side. From the U.S. side, Dr. Arden Bement, Director, National Science Foundation, has been appointed as the co-chair.
The Joint Statement on Pakistan-U.S. Strategic Partnership, issued by President Bush and President Musharraf on 4 March 2006, commits the two sides to build capacity in Pakistan and work towards increased cooperation in science, technology and engineering. Both sides also agreed to improve the quality, relevance, or capacity of education and research at Pakistani institutions of higher education in the field of science and technology. It was further agreed to enhance institutional capacity of Pakistan in the areas of environment through exchange of experts and developing linkages and collaborative projects with relevant U.S. institutions.

During its visit to Washington, the Science and Technology delegation would have wide-ranging talks with Dr. Arden Bement, Head of the National Science Foundation and senior officials of the State Department, Department of Agriculture, USAID, and National Academy of Sciences. The delegation would also meet with Dr. John H. Marburger, Advisor to President Bush on Science.

The delegation would visit Boston and New York, where it is scheduled to have meetings at relevant scientific and educational institutions.

Islamabad

17 July 2006

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