The Pakistan–China International Conference on Food-Medicine Homology, Nutrition, and Health was inaugurated at the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), bringing together top scientists, policymakers, regulators and industry leaders from both countries to enhance cooperation in health sciences, nutrition and traditional medicine.
Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal, addressing the inaugural session as chief guest, described the conference as a timely initiative on a highly relevant subject. He stressed the need for COMSTECH to actively promote traditional medicine and said Pakistan’s healthcare system should place greater emphasis on prevention rather than depending solely on treatment after illness.
He said Pakistan has the potential to become a leading country in the adoption and promotion of herbal medicine. However, he noted that despite the country’s long-standing traditions in herbal healing, the sector has lagged behind due to insufficient patronage, lack of structured support and weak marketing strategies.
Coordinator General COMSTECH Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary said the concept of Food-Medicine Homology recognises food not only as a source of nutrition but also as a tool for disease prevention and health promotion. He said Pakistan-China collaboration in traditional medicine, natural product research and biomedical sciences stands as a strong example of scientific diplomacy.
He highlighted that China’s extensive expertise in Traditional Chinese Medicine, combined with Pakistan’s biodiversity and medicinal plant resources, creates significant opportunities for innovation. He reaffirmed COMSTECH’s commitment to evidence-based traditional medicine, establishment of joint research centres, technology transfer and development of cross-border pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
Prof. Dr. Liu Xinmin, Member of the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Traditional Medicine and Chief Scientist at Ningbo University, said the conference reflected the strong scientific partnership between Pakistan and China. He highlighted more than two decades of cooperation with Pakistani institutions in herbal medicines, food nutrition, space medicine and drug discovery.
He referred to the establishment of Sino-Pakistan centres on Traditional Chinese Medicine, joint laboratories for herbal medicine research and development, training programmes for Pakistani doctors in China and successful regulatory approvals of Chinese healthcare products in Pakistan.
Prof. Dr. Liu also praised Prof. Dr. Iqbal Choudhary for his efforts in strengthening scientific ties between Pakistan, China and the Muslim world.
The conference continued with technical sessions featuring presentations by researchers from both countries on medicinal plants, clinical trials, food safety regulations, pharmaceutical cooperation and nutrition-based healthcare solutions.
The inaugural session began with the national anthems of Pakistan and China, followed by recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Prof. Dr. Atia-ul-Wahab of the Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, University of Karachi, introduced the bi-national event.
Related: ICRC and SZABIST collaborate to Protect Healthcare Workers
Other speakers included CEO Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Dr. Obaidullah, while remarks on behalf of Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho were delivered by Dr. Dabeer Ahmed Khan. Head of SZABIST Islamabad campus Mr. Khusroo Pervaiz Khan also addressed the ceremony.
