Tag: Science and Technology Ministry

  • ‘Pakistan to recognise E-sports as an official sport’

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has announced that Pakistan will soon recognise e-sports as an official sport after an MOU (Memorandum of understanding) was signed between the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF).

    “An MOU has been signed between Pakistan Sports Board and Pakistan Science Foundation after which e-sports will get the status of an official sport,” said Chaudhry in a tweet.

    He added: “If you are interested in video games then get ready for new opportunities.”

    In December 2020, during an interview with Waqar Zaka, Chaudhry had hinted towards Pakistan’s first-ever e-sports tournament. The minister had said that the tournament will be held in March with the help of private sponsorships.

  • Ministry of Science and Tech to introduce a video games certification programme

    Ministry of Science and Tech to introduce a video games certification programme

    Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, announced a special programme of animation and video games certification to encourage young people to be part of the multi-billion dollar gaming industry.

    The minister said that they are looking to make people a part of the $900 million programming industry. He said that this new programme is especially targeted at those uninterested in studying and looking into video game development instead. According to him, the certification program should prove to be a “game-changer” for many. The tweet does not reveal any details, but since the Minister talks about Smartphone games, we can expect the program to lean more towards phone apps and games.

    The new initiative will be providing animation and video games certification programmes to young people in order to boost the local gaming industry.

  • Fawad Chaudhry has a savage response to an Indian troll

    Fawad Chaudhry has a savage response to an Indian troll

    When an Indian Twitter user tried to troll Prime Minister Imran Khan and Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the minister had a savage response for her.

    Replying to Chaudhry’s video in which he was announcing that PM Imran Khan has handed over the first batch of ventilators to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a Twitter user Mishupreet Kaur said: “Imran ne to bola ghabrana nhi hai ye ghabrah kyu raha hai (Imran said not to worry, then why is he getting nervous).”

    Responding to the tweet, Chaudhry said PM Imran Khan said that to the people of Pakistan and not to the Indians.

    “You have to worry,” he added. “Rest assured[d], under Modi India will be Endia.” 

    Meanwhile, PM Imran on Monday inaugurated inaugurated the facility of country’s first-ever indigenously made ventilators and handed over the first batch of ‘SafeVent SP100’ portable ventilators to NDMA.

     According to APP, the facility in the northern town of Haripur has a production capacity of up to 300 ventilators a month. 

     “It’s a landmark achievement for Pakistan,” PM said, congratulating the team behind the project, the engineers and scientists at National Radio & Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) and the Ministry of Science & Technology. 

    He further said that the country has “abundant talent to take us to self-reliance in new technological innovation and the government will strongly support any initiative to harness the potential of our youth”.

  • Space museum to be set up in Islamabad

    The Scientific Committee of the National Astronomical Observation Commission has decided to set up Pakistan’s first-ever space museum in Islamabad. Earlier, there was PIA Planetarium at Expo Centre in Karachi which used to give a virtual tour of the outer space.

    According to APP, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry chaired the meeting in which the decision was taken to set up Pakistan’s first space museum in Islamabad. The federal minister announced that the first-ever space museum will be established within eight months.

    The meeting also decided to set up five astronomical observatories in Pakistan. It was unanimously decided that astronomical observatories would be set up in Islamabad and Gwadar at the initial phase.

    In a tweet, Fawad said that provincial governments have also been asked to established space museums in provincial capitals.

    “From looking at the moon to beyond the stars, you will be able to explore the universe in future”, he said.

    The Ministry of Science and Technology has been making great strides in development. Earlier, this week they also delivered a batch of locally-manufactured ventilators to the National Disaster Management Authority to fight COVID-19.

  • Bilal Maqsood wants to make Fawad Chaudhry head of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee

    Bilal Maqsood wants to make Fawad Chaudhry head of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee

    Bilal Maqsood of Strings has said that if he was the prime minister of Pakistan, he would make Fawad Chaudhry the head of Ruet e Hilal Committee.

    In a Q&A session with his fans on Instagram, when a user asked Bilal what he would do if he was to become PM, the singer responded: “I will make Fawad Chaudhry the head of Ruet e Hilal Committee.”

    Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan is the department that announces the sighting of the new moon. It is currently headed by Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman and assisted by 150 observatories of the Pakistan Meteorological Department and many religious scholars of different sects.

    On the other hand, Chaudhry who is the Minister for Science and Technology recently launched Pakistan’s first official Moon-sighting website and Hijri Calendar. He also said: “In my opinion, Ruet-Hilal Committee is no longer required (for moon-sighting).” 

    The minister faced a lot of criticism from religious circles and both Chaudhry and Mufti Munib ur Rehman are often involved in a banter whenever it comes to the announcement of Eid.

  • Fawad Ch seeks abolition of Ruete Hilal Committee, again

    Fawad Ch seeks abolition of Ruete Hilal Committee, again

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has once again demanded the abolition of the Central Ruete Hilal [moon-sighting] Committee.

    Fawad, while criticising the committee, argued that there was no need for such a committee in the modern era.

    He also claimed that the committee, which is headed by Mufti Muneebur Rehman, wants Eid to fall on Monday, May 25 instead of Sunday, announcing to reveal motives of the committee behind such a move during a press conference.

    Last year, the minister had proposed that a scientific committee should replace the Central Ruete Hilal Committee for the sighting of the moon, which had led to the committee taking strong exception.

    Chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman had asked Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to “rein in” his ministers after Fawad had accused clerics of making lunar sighting for Islamic months a controversial affair every year as well as opposing the creation of Pakistan.

    “Fawad Chaudhry’s statement against the opposition is his personal matter, but he should exercise restraint while commenting on religious scholars and not misquote history,” he said. “Who knows… one of them might also have a role in your [Fawad] appointment.”

    He had urged the premier to “control his passionate ministers”, who “lack knowledge about the system”.

  • Pakistan is now manufacturing oxygenators

    Pakistan is now manufacturing oxygenators

    In a first, Pakistan has started manufacturing oxygenators that are imperative for the treatment of 80 per cent of COVID-19 patients, Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has reportedly said.

    Oxygenators are a simple form of ventilators that help patients who have breathing difficulties.

    Furthermore, Pakistan is also making ventilators and N95 masks by using indigenous technology. For the manufacturing of ventilators, the Pakistan Engineering Council received 53 ventilator designs out of which 13 have been shortlisted. Seven have been approved and they are in the last stage of licensing following the European Union (EU) benchmarks.

    “In six to seven months, Pakistan will not just have sufficient ventilators to meet local demand but will be in a position to export these lifesaving machines,” the minister has said.  

    He said that the moment of crisis had made it clear that the role of scientific research and development was underrated in Pakistan during the last decade, adding that it was the only country in the world to cut funding for research and development after 2007 from 0.67 per cent of the GDP to 0.24p per cent.

    “Cities ran short of hand sanitiser, disinfectants and masks immediately after the first two cases of COVID-19 were detected in Pakistan, between Feb 26 and March 5″, the minister said.

    “Since Pakistan is a major exporter of raw ethanol, an important ingredient in sanitisers and sprays, the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) was tasked to produce sanitisers and disinfectant sprays.

    “In two months, Pakistan is not just self-sufficient but is in a position to export these products. The PCSIR now has the capacity to produce 1,000 litres of sanitiser a day, which is available at Utility Stores.” Ziaur Rehman from the PCSIR said.

    The School of Biomedical and Engineering and Sciences and Attaur Rehman School of Applied Biosciences, both constituent colleges of the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), have also started working on eye-protection shields, personal protection equipment (PPE) and Covid-19 testing equipment according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

    In addition, NUST is in the final stages of introducing Covid-19 test kits and they will be available in the market within a week. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has run clinical trials of the kits and they’re in the last stage of approval.

  • PM Imran to inaugurate Science and Technology Park today

    PM Imran to inaugurate Science and Technology Park today

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the country’s first National Science and Technology Park in Islamabad today.

    Federal Minister Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to announce that “Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate Pakistan’s first National Science and Technology Park in NUST.”

    Fawad Chaudhry also wrote that the initiative is a combination
    of researchers and industry that turned the world around. The coming ten years
    will be bright years for Pakistan’s science and technology.”

    Earlier, on Dec 5, Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched the ‘Digital Pakistan’ programme, an initiative to introduce the latest technologies for public welfare.

  • Fawad says ‘Science & Tech Ministry has nothing to do with science’

    Fawad says ‘Science & Tech Ministry has nothing to do with science’

    Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that his ministry has “nothing to do with science”.

    In a recent interview with Independent Urdu, the minister was asked what relation was there between his law degree and science.

    There is no connection, he said, adding: “In fact, the Science and Technology Ministry itself has no relation with science.”

    Earlier, in an interview to The Current, Fawad, who was sacked as the federal minister for information and broadcasting in last month’s cabinet reshuffle, had said he himself had chosen the Science and Technology Ministry.

    “I was offered two or three ministries by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and I voluntarily chose this ministry because science and technology is the way forward,” he had said.

    WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE: