"Pakistan is an agro- based economy on which relies its more than 60% of rural population. The fact should not be ignored that the world is experiencing a faster change in climate in the twenty first century than it ahs in the past. Increase in global average temperature has resulted in the crises of Fresh water which brings big challenges related to the cash crop, fisheries and livestock. The problem of water logging, salinity and genetically bad seeds can be overcome by using latest technology because experts of the University of Karachi know how to convert challenges into opportunities. It is thus playing its part efficiently and effectively," said the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Shahana Urooj Kazmi, while addressing to the inaugural ceremony of the workshop on Advances in Physiological Ecology of Salt Tolerance jointly organized by the University of Karachi & UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Halophyte Utilization on Tuesday 27th April 2010 at KIBGE, Pro-Vice Chancellor-Prof. Dr. Nasiruddin Khan- said that in Pakistan, there are vast surfaces of barren and abandoned marginal lands that are commonly believed useless on the contrary a huge research and demonstration activity in the last decades has demonstrated their unsuspected value because mankind today is not in a position to overlook such untapped resources. Prof. Dr. Ajmal Khan elaborated the objectives behind this workshop and told the audience that the main focus will be the use of modern technology to understand the physiology of salt tolerance in plants, so that the complexities of Halophytes can be unfolded. The Korean expert Dr. Teak Ryoun Kwon, who is an expert of Plant Stress Physiology, told that he is willing to participate in networking with all the Asian Universities especially with the University of Karachi. A three dimensional collaboration will be fruitful in this regard, which includes the exchange of scientists, organization of mutual academic activities and signing MoU's with various research projects. While talking on the theme of the workshop he said that salt tolerance is one of the most important problems worldwide that needs immediate solution. Water of good quality for agricultural uses is becoming ever more limited in regions where irrigation is necessary due to increasing requirements for domestic and industrial uses. Sea water or saline water may be used to irrigate a variety of plants, including Halophytes, he added. Dean faculty of science, Prof. Dr. Darakhshan Haleem said that the rapidly increasing world population puts ever more pressure on land and water resources; it becomes therefore imperative to undertake serious efforts to expand agricultural crops in those vast unused areas that are an enormous potential resource. Under those extreme conditions of soil or water salinity where no crop of agriculatral interest can be grown it is possible to imagine dedicated halophyte plantations for forage production, soil rehabilitation, bio-energy generation, landscaping, carbon dioxide sequestering, and a number of other useful purposes at no cost in terms of good quality water and soil, Therefore, it is imperative to study these halophytes in different ecologies & should provide them genes that are required for their growth in solemnized land. A large number of faculty members, workshop participants and students were present at the occasion.