Pakistan Science Foundation Act, 1973

This 1973 Act establishes the Pakistan Science Foundation, a body that finances and promotes scientific activity relevant to Pakistan's socio-economic needs. Section 3 allows the Federal Government to set the Foundation up as a body corporate headquartered in Islamabad, able to hold property and sue or be sued in its own name. Section 4 lists its wide-ranging functions: funding scientific information centres, basic research at universities, turning laboratory-scale results into proven processes, science museums and planetaria, scientific societies and conferences, international exchanges of scientists, awards and fellowships, and special scientific surveys; it must also review and evaluate research it sponsors, maintain a national register of qualified scientists to help them find employment, and liaise with similar bodies abroad.

Section 5 places overall control in a Board of Trustees, with the Chairman, an eminent scientist and the Director of Finance serving as whole-time members appointed by the President, alongside part-time members including the Chairman of the National Science Council and scientists nominated by the Council and the President. Under Sections 6 and 7 (as later amended), the Chairman and other Board members serve terms of up to three years and can be removed by the President at any time without notice or reason. Sections 8 and 9 require at least two Board meetings a year with a quorum of nine members, and Section 10 establishes an Executive Committee of the whole-time members.

Sections 13 to 15 describe the Foundation's funding (government grants, donations and other income), its budgeting process, and a requirement that its accounts be audited by chartered accountants in consultation with the Auditor-General of Pakistan. Section 16 lets the Foundation hire staff broadly in line with federal government pay scales, and Section 17 requires an annual report and audited accounts to be laid before the National Assembly. Section 18 allows the Foundation to make its own regulations.