Pakistan

Muslims too could venture into space in near future, but when?

Roadmap suggests capacity building, regional cooperation for space ventures

Sehrish Wasif May 20, 2016

COMSTECH General Assembly. PHOTO FILE

ISLAMABAD: Muslims too could venture into space in near future, but for that there is a need for enhancing national capacities in this field along with regional cooperation at all levels, says the 10-year science and technology plan of action for 2016-25 — a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune.

“Space programmes are expensive and barring a handful of countries, requires multinational efforts to minimise costs and enhance outcomes,” suggests the plan prepared by COMSTECH (OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation) in consultation with 157 leading scientists from 20 OIC countries as well as in the EU and North America.

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Dr Shaukat Hameen Khan, coordinator general of COMSTECH, while talking to The Express Tribune, said the 10-year plan of action will be discussed in the upcoming 15th meeting of COMSTECH General Assembly which is going to be held from May 31- June 1 this year in Islamabad.

Sharing the details of the plan he said it has four major goals which are: nurturing the thinking mind for building a scientific culture, making people employable through quality education and skills, ensure security of water, food and agriculture and, last but not the least, ensuring healthy lives for all citizens.

In many of the OIC countries the standard of education, health and hygiene is not up to the mark just because of minimal investment in these sectors, he said.

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“It is not possible for the countries to progress without having educated and healthy nation and it is only possible by making big investment in these sectors,” he said.

They have set a target for a minimum 50 universities in member states to be ranked among the top 500 globally, to increase health budget to a minimum 10%, universal access to clean drinking water, health infrastructure, medicines, vaccines among others by 2025.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (11)

Parvez | 7 years ago | Reply From listening to some of their clergy...........I thought they were already there.

Zain - USA | 7 years ago | Reply @vinsin Secularism is a not a prerequisite for human development. Islamic countries led the world 1,000 years ago and excelled in Sciences, Mathematics, Astronomy, Medicine, etc. when they focused on education as well as religion with deligence and sincerety. Currently, in Muslim countries, Iran has the most advanced Space Research and Rocket Technology. They have launched satellites and even sent Monkey to Space, all on their own. Pakistan also has some Rockets which can be modified to be sent to space but lack money and R&D interest is minimal, despite Pakistan being the first Muslim country to venture into Rocket building technology. Pakistan launched its first Rocket Rahbar in to atmosphere before India did, during 1960s, when an American Scientist of Polish and Pakistani ancestry, along with Help from NASA, launched that Rocket into Earth's Stratoshpere. Pakistan's Space and Upper Research Organization, SUPPARCO, has designed its own modular Satellite, and launched it in space, but had to rely on a Russian Rocket Launched from Kazakhstan. Also Chinese has launched some of Pakistan's other Communication Satellites. Pakistan does has capacity and capability, if Government of Pakistan takes interest. Dr. A.Q. Khan, has also stated that Pakistan is capable of Launching its own Satellites into Space, using the current Rocket Technology which little modification.

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Milind | 7 years ago | Reply Most Muslim countries have moon on their flags, but none have their flag on the moon. Unfortunate but bitter truth!!!

Adnan Siddiqui | 7 years ago | Reply @curious2: That's called hitching a ride. We are talking about Muslims having the technological prowess for space exploration.

curious2 | 7 years ago | Reply The first Muslim entered space back in 1985 courtesy of the USA - been 9 more since then. If memory serves me correctly two Afghan's have been astronauts - don't think any Pakistanis have made the list but I maybe wrong.

Rahul | 7 years ago | Reply I am waiting to hear how many poor people die from heat and lack of drinking water in Pakistan during Ramadan this year.

Adnan Siddiqui | 7 years ago | Reply There is no tax on thinking big. But, there has to be a self-imposed limit for fear of seeming preposterous. That limit seems to have been crossed in this piece. If prayers can deliver spacecrafts, the Islamic world would have had the most sophisticated spaceship. Unfortunately, it takes advanced scientific education and that is not the forte of Muslim nations.

vinsin | 7 years ago | Reply @Zain - USA: Healthcare, Social sector improvement - can be improved by just becoming a secular country.

Rumormonger | 7 years ago | Reply Thanks to our Muslim brothers of the Middle East, this organization is as effective as OIC is. Comstech had big leaders of science installed as Coordinator General but they not do anything more than conferences.

Zain - USA | 7 years ago | Reply Good initiative. Also please give Education a top priority. Without quality, development in Healthcare, Social sector improvement, infrastructure, industry is not achievable. Pakistan is spending the least on education, around 1% to 2%, while developed countries like South Korea spend up to 20% of their GDP on education alone. We need to cut down on unnecessary, projects like Metros and divert than money to Education on fast track basis. Most of the problems in Pakistan stem from lack of universal and quality education. Please fix that problem on urgent basis. God Bless Pakistan and OIC.

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