We Can Be Our Worst Enemies!
Ishtiaq Ahmed
London: We can be our own worst enemies. This statement is not made lightly. Pakistan’s image overseas has sharply declined due to unabated religious fanaticism, mindless persecution of religious minorities, human rights abuses, irregular obstructions to freedom of expression and speech, and its uncertain and chaotic political, economic, and social issues.
The cancellation of the Abdus Salam Fair at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in Islamabad is a recent example of misguided mindsets.
The Abdus Salam Science Festival, scheduled to take place at the Earth Sciences Auditorium of QAU from May 27-29, was organized by the student-run QAU Science Society and was set to feature Prominent Physicist Perez Hoodbhoy as the headline speaker.
Various events, talks, and workshops were planned as part of the festival, including a session by Dr Hoodbhoy on Dr Abdus Salam’s contributions to elementary particles and physics, discussions on motivation, a workshop on balancing careers and relationships, a science quiz competition, poster displays, a science model exhibition, photography contests, a science fiction writing competition, a science-based scavenger hunt, and more.
On Friday, the society announced that the event had been rescheduled. In their statement, the organizers cited multiple factors for the decision:
“Due to upcoming exams in various Pakistani universities, including Quaid-i-Azam University, we received numerous requests to postpone the ASSF-24.”
“In addition, unforeseen circumstances arose, prompting the university administration, after consultation with various stakeholders, to decide on rescheduling the ASSF-24.”
One may ask, what are those “ unforeseen” reasons. It is also worrying that the event is being rescheduled without an alternate date being given.
Dr Abdus Salam came from a humble household rising to the glorious heights by achieving the Chair of Mathematics in London’s Imperial College at the age of 30 and going on to share Physics Nobel Prize with Sheldon Gkashow and Steven Weingberg in 1979.
He offered to Zulfiqal Ali Bhutto , the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973-1977, to return to Pakistan to serve as a full-time member of the team of scientists making the nuclear bomb. He did the same during his state visit to Pakistan in 1979 to Zial- ul- Haq.
Abdus Salam is credited with the establishment of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.
Nevertheless, the center was not a mere personal achievement, it was a collective diplomatic victory of members advocating the cause at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The author is a British citizen of Pakistani origin with a keen interest in Pakistani and international affairs. and editorial desk head of the Penpk.com.
Mohammed Ajeeb CBE
The extremist mind-set is the biggest hurdle in the way of young generation of Pakistan eager to compete the world by learning science and technology in an environment free from any restrictions and pressures.
Dr Abdus Salam was a great physicist on an international stage. His contribution to the development of nuclear energy should be acknowledged and celebrated. We should unreservedly be proud of a Pakistani Scientist of a humble background from Punjab that went on to make Pakistan proud by winning the Nobel Prize for his achievements in the science of physics.
We are quick to hail and celebrate the scientific accomplishments of none- Pakistanis but act in denial of our own. This is an example of perverse minds.
Sadly, in Pakistan, polarisation and discrimination based on religious, political, social and sectarian differences is increasing day by day and thus the hatred it generates against each other can be dangerous for its cohesion and advancement of knowledge.
The QAU authorities should quickly move forward to reschedule the event in the interest of knowledge.