No state of science

Recently, one of my class fellows challenged me to name ten scientists from Pakistan. I ended up naming only Dr Abdul Salam and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. My friend too couldn’t name more than four or five. This shows how much we lag in this technological era. It is said that at least four percent of the GDP must be spent for a stabilised education system. Despite being a developing country, Pakistan spends only 2.7 percent of its GDP on education while countries like Maldives spend 11.2 percent, Uzbekistan 7.4 percent and Bhutan 4.8 percent. Pakistan, however, seems to be interested in investing on building underpasses or spending on arms and defence equipment.

Global powers like Russia, China, Japan ,the US and India etc have led with the torch of scientific inquiry and have investigated the true knowledge of nature. Our neighbouring countries like China or India have topped scientific inquiry and China has sent astronauts into space, landed a rover on the moon and is now on the way to a mission to Mars. India has launched missions to the moon and Mars and is pushing the frontiers of knowledge. These countries have scientists in every field – from particle physics to theoretical physics to biology to chemistry. Unfortunately, our own scientist and Nobel laureate Dr Abdul Salam was mistreated by us. Our school curriculum is all about conquerors and we are called to emulate and follow in their footsteps. Perhaps, then we should not expect scientists, educators or intellectuals in the country either.

Zeeshan Nasir

Kolahoo