The Ministry of Science and Technology (Urdu: وزارتِ سائنس و فنیات, wazarat-e-science-o-technology) (abbreviated as MoST) is a Cabinet-level Ministry of the Government of Pakistan concerned with Science and Technology in Pakistan and in general, Pakistan's science policy, planning, coordination and directing of efforts to initiate and launch scientific and technological programs as well as projects aimed at economic development.
The ministry is coordinated by the Federal Minister for Science and Technology who is currently Agha Hassan Baloch and is headquartered in Islamabad.[2]
To achieve the security, prosperity and social cohesion of Pakistan through equitable and sustainable socio-economic progress using science, technology and innovation as central pillars of development in all sectors of economic activity.
The principle agenda of the MoST is building Pakistan's technological competence in the 21st century by leap forging into new markets, develop a larger pool of human resource for reverse brain drain and integrate the soft technology infrastructure into hard modern technological base, strengthen technology institutions, effective S & TR governance and enhance the capacity if indigenous innovation systems.
The Scientific and Technological Research Division (S&TRD) established in 1960 was initially responsible to administer the National Science Council, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Atomic Energy Commission and the Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Committee. The status of S&TR Division was raised to the level of full-fledged Ministry of Science and Technology “MoST” in 1972.
The following organizations are situated under the Ministry of Science and Technology:-
The ministry launched a lunar observatory website in 2019 aimed at to show the citizens about the Islamic events, holidays, and primarily crescent associated with lunar calendar dates.[3] The website claims to have modern features such as predetermine the future-dates or arrival of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and other events based on scientific evidences and observations through moon sighting.[4][5]