Ahsan urges US to support Pakistan in human resource training

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - Federal Minister for Planning Development & Reform Ahsan Iqbal has urged United States to support Pakistan in training of human resource to implement Vision 2025.

In a meeting with US Assistant Secretary Education & Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan, he said that his party's government is keen to benefit from the strength of top US universities to train its strategic human resource for transforming Pakistan into a Knowledge Economy. “Pakistan-USA Knowledge Corridor” can become a strong bridge between the two countries, he added.

Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the efforts to promote primary and higher education particularly girl education in the country and said that USA can partner positively to make these efforts a success.

Ahsan Iqbal said Pak-USA Knowledge Corridor has been recognized as an important initiative in the joint statement of Pakistan and USA during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to USA last year. “Now challenge lies in operationalizing it at the earliest”, he mentioned.

Minister said that Pakistan needs 10,000 PhD scholars in the next ten years to cater to the growing needs of expanding faculty in higher education sector. Pak-US Knowledge Corridor would fulfill the increased demand of PhDs scholars in Pakistan.

Minister proposed for development of group of academicians in US that should make Pakistan the subject of their research.

He also highlighted the characteristics of joint Science Foundation to finance scholars from both sides, proposed in USA-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue.

US Assistant Secretary Evan Ryan commended Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal for conceiving the idea of US-Pak Knowledge Corridor.

She noted that it is an ambitious idea and would be effective to revolutionize Pakistan higher education by establishing links with USA universities. She also appreciated the efforts of Ahsan Iqbal to promote girls education.

“I am really impressed the way you are championing Knowledge and Education causes in the country, US Assistant Secretary remarked," she said.

She also agreed with the proposals of Ahsan Iqbal for stronger ties between Pakistan and US through Pakistani diaspora in USA and agreed to work closely in education sector.