5 July 1994 Diplomatic Post Could Boost NZ-Pakistan Links, Say Students

Educational links between Pakistan and New Zealand could be enhanced by the establishment of a Kiwi diplomatic post in the Muslim state, say a group of Pakistani students who have just arrived at Lincoln University to undertake doctoral studies.

The group of six, from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, all had to have their visa documentation for New Zealand processed in Tehran, Iran, the nearest diplomatic post for this country.

They say that while this was not really a problem in their case, the logistics and time delays involved in such a distant processing arrangement do count against New Zealand being a ready choice for individual Pakistanis who want to study overseas.

New Zealand has an Honorary Consul in Karachi, but no full mission in Pakistan.

"We have a good working relationship with New Zealand and have personnel in high positions in Pakistan who have done their training in New Zealand, what would now help increase the links between the two countries would be some sort of sub-office of the Tehran consulate in Pakistan," says Syed Farhat Ali Shah, who will be doing his Lincoln doctorate in Plant Pathology.

"Many Pakistanis study abroad in countries such as the United States, but I felt strongly that the technology and research we would have been involved with there would not have been as applicable when we got back home to Pakistan. That's why I wanted to come to New Zealand."

"New Zealand farming systems and technology are very applicable to our own agricultural systems, and the atmosphere in the North West Frontier Province is in many ways similar to Canterbury conditions."

The arrival of the group continues a tradition of links between Pakistan and Lincoln's Plant Science Department stretching back more than 20 years. In fact it was an early Lincoln graduate, Dr Hanif Quazi, who inspired the latest batch of students to persist with their choice of New Zealand as a study destination and encouraged them as they negotiated with the New Zealand consulate in Iran.

A former Commonwealth Scholar who, after graduation from Lincoln joined the staff of the DSIR's Crop Research Division at Lincoln, Dr Hanif Quazi today occupies the senior plant science research position in Pakistan and is responsible for the direction of all plant science research undertaken by the Pakistan Federal Government.

The six students who have arrived at Lincoln are all from the Agricultural Research Institute at Tamab, just outside of Peshawar. Two will be studying in the Soil Science area, two in Plant

Protection (Entomology and Plant Pathology) and two in Horticulture. All are funded by the World Bank through the Government of Pakistan.

Postgraduates from 13 different countries are now studying in Lincoln University's Department of Plant Science and Department Head George Hill points out that New Zealand derives a "tremendous benefit" from their presence.

"All are working on applied research projects on aspects of New Zealand plant production and their projects, supervised by Lincoln scientists, contribute significantly to the country's total research effort," he says.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.