HOW TO BUILD RESEARCH CULTURE IN PAKISTAN?

BY AFSHEEN AMJAD*

INTRODUCTION

Research means to make an effort to know or examine some thing. Research is extremely important in all the departments of natural and social sciences. Research contains different topics; these topics could be scientific, technical, economic and social. By means of research solutions to different problems are sought. Research brings forward various theories, thoughts and approaches due to this research is very important.

 Research has not been given much importance in Pakistan. Pakistan is a developing country and is confronting a number of problems in which the problem of research is one of the biggest problems and unfortunately research culture has not developed yet. Most of the countries of the world have given enormous attention to research and researchers are encouraged a lot therefore they have a very convenient working atmosphere.  Whereas, in Pakistan, research is not given much attention and mainly because of this ignorance Pakistan is not a fertile soil of researchers.  

OBJECTIVES

1. To review research problems in Pakistan

2. To look for the appropriate solutions to these problems and seek ways to build research culture in Pakistan.

QUESTIONS

1. What are the reasons of research problems in Pakistan? 

2. What ways should be followed to build research culture?

3.  What suggestions can be presented in this regard?

CENTRAL POINT

 Research has become and industry in Western countries. Because of research, the developed society does not only make the most of their resources but they use them in the right direction as well. On the other hand, in Pakistan, Research is done at very low level and as a result of this there are very few people who take immense interest in research and these people are usually Researchers or Teachers.      

ANALYSIS

 We shall think over the basic reasons of the obstacles that lessen the pace of research and will discuss different measures to get round them by means of looking over some ways to build Research culture in Pakistan.

Most of the people are oblivious of importance of research in Pakistan. The people who do research or take interest in research are very few. The reason is the deteriorating literacy rate in Pakistan. First of all, effective steps should be taken to improve literacy rate in Pakistan and education should be given first priority and people should also be stimulated to read books and through this they would be able to get a wider and more vivid way of thinking and by following this path they can be enabled to enter into the filed of research with a concrete background. By means of producing a reasonable atmosphere of reading research problems can be solved.

It is important for research that only those topics should be selected that are thought to be worth researching. The topics that are not very much useful should not be chosen for research. There are countless topics in Pakistan that deserve to be researched but research is not usually done on them and one of its reasons is knowledge gap. Proper knowledge is beyond the reach on many topics and due to this plenty of important topics are not investigated. .It is necessary to fill this gap and see what type of topics should be chosen for research. The problem of knowledge gap can be dealt by giving special attention to education and proper development of reading culture.      

              Libraries play a vital part in research because a researcher, who is busy in research , needs to keep himself in touch with relevant books, magazines and research journals. In Pakistan inadequate number of libraries bring about a great of trouble and it is also a very disappointing fact that not many people turn to even existing libraries. It is important in Pakistan to increase the number of libraries for the sake of promoting research culture and people should be made aware of the advantages and importance of availing libraries. Besides, if radical steps are taken at governmental level then it would also be a big boast for common people and research will automatically develop in Pakistan.

                Research has earned an outstanding place in Western countries. In these countries funds are raised for the improvement and betterment of research and a reasonable amount of money is allocated for research.  Given this fact, the research process continues in a convenient and comfortable atmosphere whereas in Pakistan researchers are deprived of all these facilities and they are compelled and forced to do research on their own. They get  no support at governmental level or non-government level .It is important to form a budget for research and funds should also be shared in order to accelerate the development of research culture in Pakistan so that researchers could make the most of these resources and could involve in research with proper zeal and commitment.

                  In social sciences, researchers and thinkers try to discover new thoughts, new approaches and theories and society becomes ignorant if this process stops. Unfortunately, in Pakistan the situation is very discouraging and new thoughts, approaches and theories are not entertained properly which they really deserve. If researchers are adequately encouraged they would do their job with enthusiasm, willingness and passion and would be able to play their due part in the development of research culture in Pakistan.

                  There are not many reputable researchers in Pakistan. When a   researcher embarks on research on a particular topic and needs to benefit from books, most of the times he/she finds foreign-printed books on that topic. Unfortunately, there is a death of indigenous literature on important areas in social sciences. Since there is too much negligence towards research in Pakistan so as a result of this printers and publishers do not publish many books on. This problem even worsens for the researchers who have basic Urdu background because they can not understand them properly and it causes a lot of trouble for them.

             It is suggested that research ought to be constituted compulsory at the school, college and university level and students should be encouraged to ask questions from their teachers and they should be provided with proper guidance of research. By this the interest of the students will increase in the field of research and it would also help build a better society. New ideas and thoughts would come out and it would also be a big plus point for the progress of Pakistan and in future better researchers will come forward and will serve the country with flying colors.

               Researchers also need proper source materials for their research. In Pakistan, there are no such facilities available and hence it is also a big hindrance for researchers. If this problem is tackled wisely and concrete measures are taken at governmental and non-governmental levels, libraries are established and researchers are supported then the foundation of a better research system can be laid. 

Politics also gets involved in everything in Pakistan and this victimizes even very useful projects. If researchers intend to do research over political matters, then they are harassed and disturbed.  It should not happen. For the development of a better research culture, researchers need to be given all sorts of freedom and convenience.

CONCLUSION

These are the reasons for the lack of research culture in Pakistan. In order to get rid of these problems all the steps should be taken that have been mentioned above. For the sake of consolidation and development of research culture, a culture of reading should be developed and research should be supported at government and non-government level.

By following this approach, research standard will get better in Pakistan and the horizon of research will also broaden.

* Student, M.A (Final) Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.