ISLAMABAD: The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) administration has postponed the three-day Abdus Salam Festival 2024 that was scheduled to start on May 27 after a religious group expressed its resentments over it.

Dr Abdul Salam was a theoretical physicist and was the first Pakistani to win a Nobel Prize in 1979. The function was arranged to honour his services in the field of science.

Abdus Salam Science Festival 2024 was being organised by Quaid-i-Azam University Science Society in collaboration of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and National Centre for Physics.

The aim of the festival was to promote science, education and scientific thoughts. Participants from universities from across the country were to participate in various scientific modules, science model/art exhibitions, panel discussions, study visits, astronomy night, musical concerts and competitions.

Prof Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ramal Raja, Mohammad Adnan and other intellectuals and researchers had been invited to the festival.

But, sources said that a religious group expressed its resentment with the university administration over the holding of the festival. There was also a lot of hue and cry on social media about it due to the scientist’s faith, following which the administration postponed the event.

A senior academician from the university said after a campaign was launched on social media, a delegation of the religious group met the QAU vice chancellor and managed to get the festival postponed. He said the vice chancellor informed all deans and organisers that the festival was being postponed, adding that, “in Pakistan, postponed means canceled”.

The academician said the event had been held in 2022, but due to various issues, it was not held in 2023. “It was purely a science festival and had been arranged to make students understand science and its applications in future. It had nothing to do with any religious discussion,” he added.

The executive director of Abdus Salam Science Festival confirmed that the festival had been postponed as per the directives of the vice chancellor.

Talking to Dawn, QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Akhtar denied that Abdus Salam Science Festival 2024 had been cancelled.

“Since the semester is about to end, we cannot afford to have such activities at this time, therefore we have decided to postpone the festival. If we had not done so, we would not have been able to complete our exams before Eidul Azha,” Dr Akhtar said.

However, he confirmed that there were many reservations of people and groups over the holding of the festival, saying “we do not take decisions under pressure”.

In response to a question about his meeting with the members of some religious group, he said being the vice chancellor, he had to meet all people and hear them carefully, but decisions were taken in the best interests of the students and faculty.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2024