Salaam Abdus Salam
Mohammad Abdus Salam (1926-1996) was his full name, which may add to the knowledge of those who wish he was either not Ahmadi or Pakistani. The man proudly lived and died as both, and much more, as Pakistan disowned him, in life and in death. The government denied him the honour of a state funeral; the media remained absent from the burial ceremony at Rabwah, which has since been renamed not after Abdus Salam but as Chenab Nagar, just to spite its Ahmadi residents.
The restyled epitaph at his grave near his native Jhang awkwardly reads: “First —— Nobel Laureate”, from which the word “Muslim” has been deleted under court orders; the court, even in its narrow mindedness could have ordered the replacement of “Muslim” with “Pakistani” but that was not to be. This son of Jhang is less known in his own country today than the terrorist Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, even though he had founded and led an abler lashkar (brigade) of some 500 Pakistani physicists and mathematicians over the years whom he arranged to send to UK and US universities on scholarship for higher studies.
He was the guiding spirit and founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme as well as Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). The pygmies who after him headed the two institutes he was allowed to set up in Pakistan in his pre-non-Muslim years have since been credited with laurels, and honoured more, even in their dishonourable conduct, as father of this and that, while the Godfather remains conspicuous by his absence in official records.
Dr Salam became the victim of rigid social attitudes and state discrimination against his community when Z.A. Bhutto through an act of parliament declared the Ahmadis non-Muslim in 1974. Heartbroken at the humiliation, he left Pakistan in protest to live in Europe where in 1979 he was awarded the Nobel for his groundbreaking research in theoretical physics; soon roads were named after him in Geneva and Trieste, if not in Islamabad or Jhang. The same year, as it happened, Bhutto was hanged by Gen Zia’s kangaroo court, but the Ahmadis’ predicament was Bhutto’s only legacy that Zia embraced wholeheartedly and built on even further. Despite being given the roughshod, Dr Salam from his institute in Italy, continued to patronise bright Pakistani scientists and students through a scholarship programme. His alma mater Government College, Lahore, which has named its mathematics and physics departments after Dr Salam, and Pakistan Post, which issued a two-rupee stamp to honour him, remain the only state institutions to have acknowledged him.
The nascent rock band aptly named as Beghairat Brigade, of Aalu Anday fame, has hit the nail on the spot with their lyrics of the popular song which rightly laments: aithe Abdus Salm noon puchhdai koi nai (nobody values Abdus Salam here) as they point out that murderers Qadri and Qasab have become our heroes. His birth anniversary, January 29, remains a long shot from being celebrated as Dr Abdus Salam Day, even though we invent anomalies like the Yaum-i-Takbir (atomic detonation day) and Sindhi Culture Day, amongst the myriad others, that are officially marked on our calendar. How truly unworthy is Pakistan of its only Nobel laureate.
Rest in peace, Dr Salam.
The writer is a member of the staff at Dawn Newspaper.
Well-written and much needed article. What a pity, that Pakistan and its people refuse to acknowledge his greatness. Labels and betrayal by the PK govt and courts however can not undermine his greatness.
we as a nation disrespect our heroes, and in return we get the same from world!
I solute all the true heroes of Pakistan including Sir Dr. Abdul Salam. May his soul rest in peace.
Sabah u din Irfan
As the son of Abdus Salam, and on behalf of my family, may I thank Murtaza for this very brave piece of journalism and may I also thank all of you for your supportive comments. We need to try to defeat this terrible growth of extremism in our country where truth and justice are being eroded daily…minorities are in fear of their lives and livelihoods. This is not what Pakistan was created for and not what our forefathers gave their lives for. Bless you all. Thank you.
Dr.Salam was a novel person and a scientist who was a true Muslim and he dedicated his life for the
Well being of scientist from developing countries.
Great article by a very brave person living among the nations of hyenas and jackals. However this is going to fall on deaf ears. When a nation do not honour its heroes and bravest that nation dies a slow and painful death. This is the legacy of this ill fated nation which we call pakistan.
NAZ
London
Salute to great scientist Prof. Dr. Hazrat Abdus Salam.
Great article. Hats off to the writer who has courage to speak the truth publically
He is still glittering and honorable stem of history of Jhang … Proud to be a Jhangvi …
A great effort by the writer. I met many people in Pakistan who even don't know who are the ahmadis..but its very unfortunate that they believe in those mullahs who r probably 3 percent of population and start to go against ahmadis and being a muslim its our duty to believe in truth as Holy Quran describes in sura altakasur…and they say about 50 percent of our population is educated…well its really pity when i see educated people not seeking the truth or reality..Reality can be different for everyone but at least violence and hate wont be existing in that reality..
such a brave step from the author and every thing is truth. Dr. Abdul Salam was such agreat scientist.
Salute to great scientist Prof. Dr. Abdus Salam, who is the hero of Pakistan but today the young generation doesn't know him.
I say without any iota of doubt that very few people have the courage to write truth specially when such writing won't give no favor to the writer. Rather it would make people against him. The Writer doesn't care for it!
Dr. Salam is among those great people who were rejected by our nation but their legacy proved that our nation as wrong. He received heights of respect in the world. Salute to the writer as well for writing this truthful article in paying a great tribute to the legendary scientist Prof. Dr. Abdus Salam.
Pakistan and its people all should be proud of him as he is the only Muslim scientist who was honored with the Noble Prize.
Thank you Mr. Murtaza Razvi for such a brave piece for Dawn readers. God Bless you-Amen!
Kudos to Murtaza. Shame on us to not recognize the services of such great Pakistan as truly was Dr. Salaam.
This is a great artical. I appreciate this move by the author…. keep it up
Salute to the writer of this article. Knowing that this will add nothing positive to his professional life still he wrote truth which we Pakistanis have removed from our dictionary… Dr. Salam was a great scientist as well as a great man whose love for the country can be calculated after what he has done for the people of Pakistan by sending the deserving students study abroad on scholar ships… We all should acknowledge his services apart from blaming him or disowning him due to his faith which we think is wrong without knowing the facts and without any research… Once again thank u Mr. Murtaza for such a brave effort.. God Bless you…
Very few people have the courage to write truth specially when writing it will give no favour to the writer it would rather make people against him… Dr. Salam is among those great people who were rejected by our nation but their legacy proved our nation wrong and they received heights of respect in the world.. Salute to the writer of this article for writing a small but a great tribute to the legendary scientist Prof. Dr. Salam. We all should be proud of him as he is the only Muslim scientist who was honoured with the Noble Prize…
Dr Abdus Salam has been a true hero and savior of Pakistan.,otherwise Pakistan may have shattered long time ago. If not all than most Pakistani Physicists are the product of Trieste, Italy, where he taught Physics. May God bless him and rest his soul in heavens.
Prof. Dr. Abdus salam is he hero of Pakistan but today the young generation of Pakistan don't know him. here is only one paragraph in the 10 physics book. while he is the only nobel laureate of the country
Thanks for this article. In my opinion we are a nation of sleeping conscience. Mostly admire Dr. Salam but need to be awaken through such bold write ups. Bravo