KARACHI - Vice Chancellor University of Karachi Prof Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the Sino-Pakistan Hybrid Rice Research Center (SPHRRC) at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi.

The Sino-Pakistan center was set up at a cost of Rs.150 million in the premises of the country's leading research establishment of ICCBS. The research center has state-of-the-art research facilities, including NMR Spectroscopes, Plant Tissue Culture Technology, genomics, and green houses etc.

The ceremony was well attended by ICCBS Patron-in-Chief and former Chairman Higher Education Commission Pakistan Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Wang Yu, Consul General of China in Karachi, Director General China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) of Hangzhou - China, Prof. Dr. Cheng Shihua, and Director ICCBS Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of SPHRRC, held at the Prof Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium, ICCBS, the Karachi University Vice-Chancellor said that Pakistan needed to make a massive investment in science and technology for a long period to entertain the desired progress.

Substantial development of any country or nation is associated with the true commitment of its leadership and enormous investment, he maintained.

China is an excellent example, which made an unbelievable progress in a limited time, Dr. Khan said, adding that true promise and vision of Chinese leadership, and huge investment got China on the top among the developed countries.

Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, in his speech, said that Pakistan has 100 million young people (below the age of 20) in her total population, which needs to be educated and trained. He pointed out that natural resources have lost their importance and been replaced by quality human resources that contribute towards high-tech industrial development.

He observed that for any country there were four pillars of progress, including high quality education, science & technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, and vision and strategy of leadership.

The Chinese Consul General said that Pakistan was famous for its high quality rice, while China was great importer of high quality Pakistani rice. Talking about the hybrid rice center, he said that ICCBS owned highly qualified scholars and state-of-the-art research equipment. He said the opening of this research center was a very significant event, which shows the deep roots of Pak-China bilateral relations.

Prof Iqbal Choudhary said that today's event was another landmark in the long and exemplary relationship between the two neighboring countries. The SPHRRC will work on the development of novel varieties of rice by using state of the art hybrid and genetic technologies, he said, adding that Pakistan was among the largest producers of rice in the world. However, despite its tremendous potential, the export of Pakistani rice has decreased over the years due to low yields, and high cost of production, he added.

The biggest challenge is to increase the production of high quality rice for the local and foreign market; through this new center, the ICCBS and CNRRI intend to contribute in this field of strategic importance, he said.

Prof Cheng Shihua said that Pakistan was an important strategic partner of China. He pointed out that food security is a common issue for both countries. Pakistan's local rice varieties possess exceptional grain size, taste and aroma. Through collaboration with advanced technology of China more new rice varieties will also be developed, he said.