Govt committed to upgrade Natural History Museum to educate citizens: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Wednesday said that the government was committed to upgrade the Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) to educate and make people aware through the dimension displays and dioramas.

Addressing the participants of 15-day International Training Workshop ‘Design, Survey and Analysis of Wildlife Populations, the minister said that majority of the people have no knowledge about the National History Museum.

Fawad said that the PMNH has preserved 700 years old teeth of elephant which belonged to Jhelum and the museum preserved natural history of Pakistan in terms of animals, plants, rocks, minerals and fossils.

He said that Pakistan was a beautiful country and foreigners who visited the country enjoyed a lot due to the country’s natural beauty, adding that there were misconceptions about Pakistan in abroad which needed to be removed through an effective strategy.

The minister underlined the need for preserving the wildlife which was ignored in the past, adding love of wildlife was an important aspect of the society.

Chaudhry Fawad said the societies which did not have love and affection for animals become victims of decline. “Unfortunately we are also lacking affection for humanity,” he added.

“Ecosystem of the country is great gift of nature to us,” the minister said.

Fawad said the government would take steps to improve the Zoo of Islamabad which was neglected by the previous governments.

In the past, the minister said hens which were brought for the lions of Zoo were cooked at the home of Director, adding that after death of one Elephant in the Zoo the other became mentally sick.

He said the economy of the country was not improving due to the corruption in the previous tenures and the present government was committed to bring to justice the elements who looted the national exchequer.

Director General Dr Muhammad Rafique briefed the participants about the purpose of the workshop and said that it would help them to protect the wildlife and environment.

He said the museum has state-of-the-art Gemstone gallery, Biodiversity Gallery, Birds of Pakistan Gallery, Dinosaurs Gallery, Fossils Gallery, Gallery for Higher Plants, Gallery for Medicinal Plants, Gallery for Lower Plants, World of Mammals, World of Reptiles, World of Fishes etc.

Dr Rafique said the museum had taken a number of initiatives for adding more varieties of natural resources in form of plants, animals, minerals, rocks, fossils etc. in the museum to attract more and more visitors.

This museum, being the only one of its kind, was a source of education for thousands of the students and researchers who visit it on daily basis and were provided a comfortable environment and maximum facilitation to conduct study on different species, he added.

Dr Rafique said that Pakistan Museum of Natural History regularly arranges seminars, symposia, workshops and trainings for public education in terms of natural history.