• Public places, parks already shrinking, Dr Hoodbhoy says
• Vacant govt land, other high altitude areas ignored

ISLAMABAD: With the Ministry of Science and Technology all set to establish an observatory and space museum in Shakarparian Hills, several voices of dissent have emerged over the site earmarked for the facility.

A number of experts believe that a public park was not an ideal location where such a project should be executed.

“Public places and parks are already shrinking, therefore there is no logic behind establishing the observatory in a park. This step will be tantamount to encroachment,” says Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, renowned scholar and nuclear physicist.

According to the ministry’s summary - approved by the public parks’ custodian, Capital Development Authority - 50x47 area (261.11 square yards) had been proposed for the project under which space/planetarium/observatory will be set up in Shakarparian Hills Park, subject to the approval of the federal government.

However, while selecting the site, the ministry ignored several acres of vacant government land and other high altitude areas. Even public-sector universities like Quaid-i-Azam University, International Islamic University and National University of Science and Technology had vacant land to their disposal.

According to the ministry, the observatory and space museum will not only resolve the moonsighting issue but also provide astronomers the opportunity to study the cosmos and celestial bodies.

Earlier, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) wanted to execute the project within the boundary of the Pakistan Monument, but the idea was opposed by the monument’s architect, Arif Masood, who advised the ministry against it.

Talking to Dawn, Arif Masood said he had suggested the ministry to utilise the space where the dysfunctional fountain was located in Shakarparian Park.

“We selected the park site due to two reasons - the area is relatively on a high altitude and a large number of students and people visit the park. The project will enable students and researchers as well as the general public to observe the moon and other celestial bodies,” said Dr Tariq Masood, former joint secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, who is looking after the project.

A few days ago, Mr Masood rejoined his parent organisation (model college) ahead of his retirement but, according to him, he was still looking after the project on volunteer basis on behalf of the ministry.

He said the observatory and museum would be set up at the site of an out-of-order fountain and it would not disturb the public in the park.

Dr Hoodbhoy however objects to the arguments of the ministry on setting up of an observatory and space museum in Shakarparian public park.

He said the ministry’s claim of establishing the facility in Shakarparian due to its high altitude did not make sense.

“What does high altitude mean; will they [ministry officials] be close to the moon after setting up the observatory in Shakarparian,” he asked, saying that instead of selecting a park for this purpose, the project should be undertaken on the building of Pakistan Science Foundation.

He argues that the mandate of Pakistan Science Foundation was to popularise science, and through this project it should promote science.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, on the other hand, believes that the site where the observatory and space museum would be set up was ideal both for moonsighting and public education.

Dr Fazeel Mahmood Khan, associate professor of space science at the Institute of Space Technology, who is providing technical assistance to ministry, also defended the site.

“We adopted two prone strategies: one, the site is at a high altitude and ideal for moonsighting, and second, it is a public place and will help create awareness among students and visitors about space,” he said.

Others disagree. Former dean at QAU Dr Wiqar Ali Shah, who is also an alumni of Oxford University, said in the West, even the royal families could not dare use public parks for any other purpose.

“Earlier, we had heard F-9 Park was going to be mortgaged by the government and now we have come to know that an observatory and museum were being set up in Shakarparian Hills Park...this is unfortunate,” he said. Another renowned educationist Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik also deplored the setting up of an observatory in the park.

CDA Director Regional Planning Abdul Haq Brohi, meanwhile, said the civic agency gave principle approval to the observatory on the request of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2021