Stressing the need for e-governance in these testing times when a worst case scenario is likely to upset the entire country amid the COVID-19 spread, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Hussain Chaudhry has said his ministry is all set to provide every support to the Ministry of Information and Technology for an enhanced broadband and internet services to reach people across Pakistan.

He was speaking at an exclusive online talk titled: ‘Role of Ministry of Science and Technology amid COVID-19’, organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Responding to a question, the minister said the prime minister would announce inclusion of doctors and paramedics fighting coronavirus in government’s Shohada package very soon.

He said the Ministry of Science and Technology could help produce testing kits, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitisers in its own capacity. He called upon the private sector to come forward and join hands with the public sector in this regard.  “The ministry’s doors are open for public policy think tanks like SDPI to come forward and enhance the scope of research and development in policy responses,” he said.

Amid the wheat harvest season in the country, the federal minister said the ministry was working to provide technology to prepare affordable sanitisers on a large scale to be used for safe agricultural operations, construction workers and the industry.

Speaking on the occasion, SDPI Executive Director Abid Qayyum Sulehri said war against coronavirus needed to be fought on many fronts, and one of the important fronts was science and technology. From the production of testing kits to ventilators, and from testing the quality of available sanitisers in the market to their production at affordable prices, the role of the Ministry of Science and Technology was very crucial. Appreciating the proactive role of the minister in fight against COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Sulehri offered the government SDPI’s all-out support and cooperation in connection with policy research and outreach.