KARACHI: A delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), accompanied by 50 faculty members from universities and research institutions across Pakistan, visited the Technology Park and Technology Incubation Center at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, on Saturday evening.
The delegation was received by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS, along with other senior officials. The visiting team was led by Prof. Syed Hussain Haider, Senior Legal Expert at UNODC, and included Umar Farooq, Research Analyst; Rabia Batool, Research Associate; and other members of the UNODC project team.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Haider explained that the UNODC is a global body working to combat illicit drugs, organized crime, and terrorism. He noted that this visit was part of a special project titled “Countering Violent Extremism and Promoting Social Cohesion through Social Entrepreneurship.”
He added that the program aims to build the capacity of faculty trainers to teach and apply social entrepreneurship models as tools to counter violent extremism and foster peace, inclusion, and social harmony.
Prof. Dr. Raza Shah briefed the delegation about the role and facilities of the ICCBS Technology Park and Technology Incubation Center, describing it as one of Pakistan’s largest incubation hubs with over 50,000 square feet of innovation space.
He highlighted that the center supports startups, young entrepreneurs, and R&D units across sectors such as Information Technology, Internet of Things (IoT), Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Food Technology, Biotechnology, and Chemical Technology.
He emphasized that ICCBS remains committed to promoting innovation and collaboration between academia and industry, helping transform research ideas into successful business ventures that contribute to Pakistan’s scientific and economic development.
