Pakistan: Understanding the State of Science

Pakistani scientists like most of their counterparts in the world generally remain so occupied with their professional work that they do not focus on broader issues concerning science. Except a few, most Pakistani scientists have rarely raised and systematically investigated important questions about development of science in Pakistan.
These questions include: why S&T in Pakistan has not achieved a level of development commensurate with its human and financial resources; what specific conditions have obstructed the development of science in the country; what role the character of state, social structure and cultural patterns of our society has played in determining both the direction and pace of the development of science; what particular interests have shaped the formulation of the science policy of the country and whether the needs of the less privileged strata are incorporated in it.
Even social scientists in the country whose profession equips them to raise and investigate such questions and for which considerable literature is available in the West, have not yet shown interest in studying them.
As a result, no literature dealing with above questions in the specific context of Pakistan has emerged. In the absence of such literature, science policy was based not on well-informed rational discourse but on the wishes and desires of a few individuals. While choosing a particular goal from among several competing goals of science policy, the framers of this policy randomly chose a goal without full awareness of its long-term costs and consequences. Consequently science policy was formulated under extraneous considerations unrelated to development of S&T. Thus formulated policy lacked coherence and consistency and became difficult to implement.
Literature investigating above mentioned questions did not emerge partly because there was no common platform for scientists and social scientists on which they could discuss, and articulate problems facing science and enter into a productive dialogue.