Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology, led by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, convened today at Parliament House to address several critical issues within the Ministry of Science and Technology, including the inactive role of the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), vacant positions in various organizations, and poor performance by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

According to Senate of Pakistan, the committee was briefed on the functions of the NCST by the Secretary for Science and Technology, Sajid Baloch. The NCST, which is supposed to provide policy directives and is chaired by the Prime Minister, was reported to have no human resources and has not convened in the last seven years. This revelation led to the committee’s dissatisfaction and a directive for a more detailed presentation in the next meeting.

The issue of numerous unfilled positions within the ministry’s organizations was also raised by Senator Agha. Baloch responded that directives from the Prime Minister have been issued to fill these vacancies in the coming months.

Further scrutiny was directed towards the PSQCA during the meeting. Senator Syed Shibli Faraz criticized the authority for its inadequate performance and lack of financial transparency. The authority, responsible for maintaining standards, was reported to lack essential equipment and has failed to collect fines from the cement industry for compromised standards. The suggestion to relocate the PSQCA headquarters from Karachi to Islamabad for better oversight was discussed, but Baloch mentioned legal constraints as “Karachi” is specified as the location in the PSQCA Act. The committee is considering a private member bill to amend this act.

In addition, the committee discussed the restructuring of the Scientific and Technological Development Corporation of Pakistan (STEDEC) into the Indigenous Research and Development Agency (IRADA). The change is currently pending approval from the SECP, expected to be finalized within a few days.

The meeting was attended by Senators Aslam Ali Abro, Husna Bano, Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Syed Shibli Faraz, Nasir Mehmood, Secretary Sajid Baloch, DG Taufique Ali Abbasi of the PSQCA, and other senior officials from the respective departments.