By Rafiq Vayani
KARACHI: A delegation of industrialists led by FPCCI Executive Member of CSR Muhammad Siddiq Sheikh, has visited the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi (UoK).
Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen, Director of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, along with other officials of the ICCBS welcomed the visiting delegation members at the Center. The delegation comprised Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman of the Pakistan Food Association, Afeef Rashid, CEO of Afeef Packages PVT Ltd, Yousaf Saleem Akhtar, and Director of Pak Ghiza PVT Ltd.
The delegation also met with Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen. Among others who attended the meeting were the officials from the ICCBS, including Prof. Dr. Syed Abid Ali, Prof. Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf, Prof. Dr. Asmat Saleem, Prof. Dr. Shabana Simjee, Dr. Imran Malik, Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Dr. Shakil Ahmed, and Dr. Almas Jabeen.
In the meeting, Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen gave a detailed presentation about the massive scientific and research activities at the international center, focusing on their potential to commercialize.
She reaffirmed her support for devising a proper mechanism for industry-ICCBS collaboration for product development in her talk. The meeting ended with a note that ICCBS will provide information on different potential products that can be commercialized for different industrial sectors. Next meetings in the context will have focused groups of industrialists of certain fields to find better overlap and to develop a one-to-one collaboration for the service of the country, especially in Chemicals, Food and Health Sciences.
Muhammad Siddique Sheikh and other members of the delegation showed great interest in the research activities at the ICCBS and aimed to bridge the gap between the Center and the Industrial sector for product development. They said that the huge potential of ICCBS should be exploited for the industrial development of the country. The country needs the establishment of indigenous technology for sustainability, they observed.
