ISLAMABAD: The Quaid-i-Azam College (QAU) administration has postponed the three-day Abdus Salam Pageant 2024 that was scheduled to start out on Might 27 after a spiritual group expressed its resentments over it.
Dr Abdul Salam was a theoretical physicist and was the primary Pakistani to win a Nobel Prize in 1979. The operate was organized to honour his providers within the subject of science.
Abdus Salam Science Pageant 2024 was being organised by Quaid-i-Azam College Science Society in collaboration of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and Nationwide Centre for Physics.
The purpose of the competition was to advertise science, training and scientific ideas. Members from universities from throughout the nation had been to take part in numerous scientific modules, science mannequin/artwork exhibitions, panel discussions, examine visits, astronomy evening, musical live shows and competitions.
Prof Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ramal Raja, Mohammad Adnan and different intellectuals and researchers had been invited to the competition.
However, sources stated {that a} spiritual group expressed its resentment with the college administration over the holding of the competition. There was additionally lots of hue and cry on social media about it as a result of scientist’s religion, following which the administration postponed the occasion.
A senior academician from the college stated after a marketing campaign was launched on social media, a delegation of the spiritual group met the QAU vice chancellor and managed to get the competition postponed. He stated the vice chancellor knowledgeable all deans and organisers that the competition was being postponed, including that, “in Pakistan, postponed means canceled”.
The academician stated the occasion had been held in 2022, however on account of numerous points, it was not held in 2023. “It was purely a science competition and had been organized to make college students perceive science and its purposes in future. It had nothing to do with any spiritual dialogue,” he added.
The manager director of Abdus Salam Science Pageant confirmed that the competition had been postponed as per the directives of the vice chancellor.
Speaking to Daybreak, QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar denied that Abdus Salam Science Pageant 2024 had been cancelled.
“Because the semester is about to finish, we can not afford to have such actions presently, due to this fact we’ve got determined to postpone the competition. If we had not accomplished so, we might not have been capable of full our exams earlier than Eidul Azha,” Dr Akhtar stated.
Nevertheless, he confirmed that there have been many reservations of individuals and teams over the holding of the competition, saying “we don’t take choices below strain”.
In response to a query about his assembly with the members of some spiritual group, he stated being the vice chancellor, he needed to meet all individuals and listen to them rigorously, however choices had been taken in the most effective pursuits of the scholars and school.
Printed in Daybreak, Might nineteenth, 2024