The news of Pakistan’s more vibrant and advanced space programme plan has sent shockwaves through India
ISLAMABAD: Almost all Indian media outlets are giving wide coverage to an “unusual development in the region” under which Pakistan is all set to upgrade and advance its indigenous space programme which previously had “limited quality advancements” as compared to those of India which has of late been engaged in active cooperation with the US in order to enhance and upgrade its satellite programme.
In the recently announced annual budget, Islamabad has allocated a reasonable funding for the current fiscal year. After successful completion of the programme, Pakistan is likely to come on a par in space technology as well. Obviously the news of Pakistan’s more vibrant and advanced space programme plan has sent shockwaves through India as the report published in newspapers specifically mentions that this programme is primarily aimed at keeping an eye on the Indian side, besides other purposes. However, on the other hand, people of Pakistan, civil society, intelligentsia and political-cum-defence observers have expressed great satisfaction as Pakistan’s advanced space programmes were the need of the hour not only from the defence point of view but also due to the growing demand from the civil communications, including the GPS, mobile telephony and the internet as well as due to changing scenario in the region, under which India has advanced itself to create security imbalance in the region.
Pakistan is entering a new era of advancement after its most successful, advanced and vibrant nuclear deterrent and missile system programmes. This will help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on foreign satellites it needs to use for civilian and military purposes.
The budget for Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) for the upcoming fiscal year 2018-2019 has been set as Rs4.70 billion, which includes Rs2.55 billion for three new projects. Suparco has regularly been conducting activities each year to increase awareness of space technology and to promote its peaceful use amongst students and the masses in Pakistan since 2005. The budget allocation includes funding of Rs1.35 billion for Pakistan Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSat-MM1). Likewise, Pakistan is planning to establish various space centres, for example, in cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with the allocation of Rs1 billion. Another project, which is on the cards, is establishment of Space Application Research Centre in Karachi with the budget of Rs200 million in 2018-2019. The total cost of PakSat-MM1 is said to be Rs27.57 billion and the cost of the space centres is Rs26.91 billion.
F Z Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2018.
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