LAHORE - Nuclear scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand Thursday said Pakistan’s missile system was designed by a team of Ravians, who were working at the international organisations like NASA and sacrificed their jobs and millions of dollar salaries just to serve their mother land.
He was addressing the dinner and musical night organised by GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleequr Rahman in connection with the GCU’s 150th anniversary. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar was the chief guest of the event, which was also attended by provincial minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman, eminent businessman Iqbal Z Ahmed, PU Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran, famous singers including Jawad Ahmed, Rustam Fateh Ali Khan and distinguished Old Ravians and others.
Dr Samar Mubarakmand said this was the special occasion for him to be here as an Old Ravian. He recalled the day when he gave the interview to get admission in GC Lahore.
Talking about the nuclear tests, he said that in 1976, India tested nuclear bomb, then Pakistan also determined to make atom bomb. He said that Pakistan decided to become nuclear power in 1998 just seven days after the Indian tests. He informed the audience that there was no delivery system for nuclear bombs in the country.
“A team of only six people, majority of them were Ravians, designed and launched Shaheen Missile,” he added.
Dr Samar Muabarakmand revealed that those six people were working at the international companies and institutes like NASA and were getting huge salaries. He maintained that when he left National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), the manpower of the commission had been extended from 6 to 6,000.
He said some critics tried to discourage Pakistan, saying nuclear bomb was not more important than education, food and basic facilities to the people, but they became silent after observing Indian aggression in 1999 over Kargal issue.
Dr Samar said that he personally likes mineral sector and Pakistan had huge reservoirs of minerals. He informed listeners that there were massive reservoirs of coal in the country but these were very deep in earth and near water and it was very difficult to dig it out. He said that he had introduced a new way to bring out the coal without digging earth. He said Pakistan could produce electricity for the whole country just by using coal gases.
He hoped that in 2014 electricity would be produced from coal gas in Pakistan.
GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, in his opening address, said that the sacred mission of imparting quality education and training had been carried out at GCU with full force despite multiple challenges. He said that the university had never stopped its pace on the road to scholarly progress as per international standards. He also lauded the efforts made by Governor Ch Sarwar in winning Europe’s GSP Plus status for Pakistan.
Addressing on the occasion, Governor Muhammad Sarwar congratulated the VC, faculty members and the students for arranging the event to celebrate the GCU’s 150 years of excellence. Being the Chancellor of the university, he said that GCU had planted a series of festivities to mark its sesquicentennial anniversary, adding that he was proud of being here at this time.