Pak Academics Conspicuously Absent at Intl Forum - Are We on a Regress Path?

ISEC-5 Conference at Las Vegas held during Sep 22 thru Sept 27

I attended the 5th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (aka: ISEC-5) during 22 thru 27 Sept 2009 in Las Vegas.
This international Conference was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

I also presented my research paper entitled, "Precast Ferrocement Barrel Shell Planks as Low Cost Roofs" in the afternoon session of 24th Sept-09.

The Conference per se was represented by the professional engineers, researchers and the academics from over 33 countries and over 170 research
papers were presented.

Being a Pakistani professional civil & structural engineer living and working in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, I therefore am very proud to have represented both
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan at this august international forum. However, it was very sad to notice that the Pakistani professional engineers both from
the industry and the academics were conspicuously absent at this international forum. On the other hand I could see an active participation from a large
number of Indian professional engineers, researchers and the academics both from within the United States and outside - that is from India itself. Even
several Bangladeshi delegates were also seen at this forum.Some from the Arab countries that is from Egypt and Syria had also participated.

The question that immediately then came to my mind and am still very perturbed at this was as to why Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and
the academics remain so conspicuously absent in such international forums? I think this is too serious to be ignored as it leaves a very bad impression
on both Pakistan and the Pakistani engineers, researchers and the academics.

It is also very important to mention here that this is not the first occasion where I had observed such a conspicuous absence of the Pakistani engineers,
researchers and the academics. I regret to mention here that on similar international forums I have observed the same thing. To substantiate here I must
mention that I was not able find a single Pakistani, either coming from within the United States or from Pakistan, at the 5th International Conference on
Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering (aka: 5icchge) which was hosted by University of Missouri at Rolla in New York during 13 thru 16 April 2004.
On that occasion too I had proudly represented bot Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and had two papers to present.

In my opinion, these are not lone incidents. I hate to say here that I see a  pattern - a pattern of regression. We see Pakistan and Pakistanis regressing
instead of progressing. While our neighbors and all others are continuously marching ahead and progressing in all fields, we unfortunately seem to regressing 
- and regressing fast in all fronts actually. The professional engineers, researchers and the academics also seem to find themselves trapped under that
regressing influence.

I must say this trend of regression must be confronted otherwise very soon Pakistan and the Pakistanis would find themselves forgotten by the international
community and we would continue to remain in the news related to the terrorism activities alone.

Syed Faiz Ahmad; MEngg, MASCE (member: International Executive Committee - ISEC-6 in Zurich in 2011)
(aka: Faiz Al-Najdi)
Chief Structural Engineer
Saudi Oger Ltd
Riyadh-Saudi Arabia
Now reporting from: New York
29 Sept-09