May 19, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 02, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 18: The federal government has asked the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) to prioritise its investment needs rather than submitting a piecemeal development programme.

Officials told this correspondent on Friday that Suparco’s current machining and fabrication facilities set up in the 1970s, had been upgraded in the 80s and 90s, catered to the requirements of strategic projects like ‘Badr’.

“These facilities were established indigenously without any out side support and were developed by utilising development fund received through normal budget (allocations),” said a detailed letter sent by the organisation to the Planning Commission.

The proposed upgrdation basically included developing a larger capacity to undertake manufacturing components for the satellite development programme.

“The ... upgradation will enable Suparco to undertake such complex assignments indigenously which will not only expedite the work but will also help in reducing the development cost.”

The Planning Commission was told that space programme could not take off with the speed and dynamism which it demanded particularly because of lack of political commitment on the part of decision-makers, inadequate financial resources and strict bureaucratic attitude. Despite the constraint, various projects of strategic importance had been completed, including the design and development of the Shaheen System.

“After the required upgradation of the machine shop, we will be able to accomplish machining of components and sub-assemblies related to our National Satellite Development Programme. Some large components required complex 3D contouring, which may be undertaken after the upgradation of the existing facilities and as a result development work could be expedited ... Based on our experience and knowledge in the area of design, development and manufacturing and taking into account our trained manpower, we see no difficulty in achieving the proposed objectives.”

It was also learnt that the government has decided to launch a communication satellite (Paksat-IR) by December 2010 with the help of a ‘reputed international satellite manufacturer’.

The government will provide Rs13.9 billion to Suparco to design, develop and manufacture and launch the new communication satellite.

The Paksat-IR will be placed in a geostationary orbit and developed in Islamabad (Rawat) and Lahore at the Satellite Research & Development Centre (SRDC).

Suparco will operate and maintain the satellite in space and its ground control facilities. The satellite’s capacity will be marketed by Paksat International (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of Suparco.

The project was planned with the help of international consulting company Telesat of Canada that would provide consultancy and technical support to Suparco.

The objective of Paksat-IR included increasing tele-density in remote areas. It will also facilitate promoting government’s initiatives in e-Commerce, e-Learning/tele-education and e-Health/ tele-medicine initiative. Moreover Paksat-IR will also offer a reliable means of emergency communication in disaster situations like earthquakes and floods.