KARACHI: Having a number of success stories on his part for Pakistan over his lifelong career including having turned around the country's financial sector and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dr Ishrat Husain, who turned 80 on June 17 this year, received the lifetime achievement award in recognition of his outstanding, dedicated and meritorious services for the bright future of the nation.
"If you really want to follow the paths which I personally believe is the future of the country is to make all the best records to invest in human resources, in human capital and particularly in science and technology," Dr Husain said after receiving the lifetime achievement award conferred by Federal Secretary for IT and Telecommunication Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput on behalf of Total Communications at the 13th International Information Security Conference - Infosec 2021 held in Karachi.
Dr Husain said the knowledge and education hold the key towards meaningful success and criticized parents and teachers for discouraging children for asking questions. He also flayed students for acquiring limited knowledge with the prime objective of passing the examination and emphasized upon them to focus more on science subjects. He suggested North Korea, Japan and China as three role model countries to learn from them as how they developed their respective education systems and the knowledge based-economy as well. A large number of people in and outside Pakistan know Dr Husain as a highly reputed economist, but many may get surprised knowing that "I did my first degree in chemistry," said Dr Husain who also received Jinnah Award in 2005.
The number (ratio) of students enrolled at the departments of sciences at colleges and universities is on decline in the country. He believes science and technology carry path for bright future of the nation, he said.
"A shift from subjects of science and technology, engineering and mathematics to business administration, to commerce and other subjects which are considered...is a fearful situation in the country," he said. "I have never missed an opportunity in my life to go and address the younger generation right from schools all the way to universities...because I think our generation has not done such a good job, our elder generations have done and that was the first 40 years of this country," he said.
He said "North Korea, Japan and China are the three successful nations. They sent youngsters to get higher education and experience at western countries including the US and the UK in 1960's, welcomed them back into their respective countries, facilitated them to apply their knowledge and skills for their respective nations and in the year 2020 China (the second largest global economy) produced more PhD students than the US," he said.
Dr Husain has rendered 57 years of continuous public service including 15 years in the Civil Service, 21 years in the World Bank, six as governor State Bank of Pakistan, two years as chairman NCGR, eight years as dean of IBA and three years as special assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Institutional Reforms and Austerity in the present government till August 31, 2021.-PR
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021