January 30, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 29, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 29: Earthquake is purely a scientific phenomenon when earth plates move and it is misunderstood by a vast majority of the poor affected by Oct 8 quake that the earthquake was an act of God to punish them for the sins they had committed.

These views were expressed by Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy while delivering his keynote speech at the sixth annual convocation of the Textile Institute of Pakistan here on Sunday.

Dr Hoodbhoy pointed out that majority of the dead in the quake were children who simply vanished when the schools buildings came crumbling down on them. The real sinners were in fact in Islamabad, he remarked. The earthquake was purely a scientific phenomenon and science had no room for superstitions, he added.

Keeping his focus on science, he said that science had been under bitter attack the world over. The great Muslim scientists also were hounded by the orthodoxy of their times, he added.

Dr Hoodbhoy said that the American Science Foundation had recently carried out a survey which showed that 30 per cent of Americans believed in the UFOs, 40 per cent still believed in astrology, 70 per cent were of the view that magnetic therapy helped them recovering from illnesses.

Recalling his last visit to India, Dr Hoodbhoy said that he was quite astonished to see the number of students and attendance at the Department of Astrology in various universities of India. Actually these departments were established under the pervious government of the BJP.

He said that science had also been used for bad purposes. In this regard, he cited the example of weapon production on mass level. So much carbon dioxide was being released into the atmosphere that in the next 100 years earth might become as hot as Mercury or Venus, he added.

Expressing concern over the present scenario in the country, he said that today in Pakistan one’s personal freedom had come under attack which was worrisome. He advised the students in particular and public at large not let your mind to be hijacked and not become slave to other people ideas.

Earlier, Chancellor of the Textile Institute of Pakistan, Mr Arif Hasan while introducing Dr Pervez Hoodhboy said that it was people like Dr Pervez Hoodhboy who became instrument of change in societies.

In his welcome address, Irfan Husain said recently the institute completed its first decade.

Later, the degrees of BSc (Hons) in Textile Science and Textile Design Technology and BBA (Hons) in Textile Management were awarded to graduating students. The valedictory speech was presented by Sana Kamaluddin Fidai.