Amidst religious intolerance, Pakistan’s Nobel laureate fades away
Local residents offer prayers at the grave of Pakistan’s only Nobel laureate Professor Abdus Salam to pay homage to him in the town of Rabwah on July 13, 2012. View more photos of the hometown, residence and college of Dr Salam here.- Photo by AFP
JHANG: The two-room bungalow, the birth place of Pakistan’s only Nobel laureate, today stands empty, testament to the indifference, bigotry and prejudice surrounding the country’s greatest scientist.
Professor Abdus Salam, the child prodigy born to a humble family on the sun-blasted plains of Punjab who won accolades all over the world for his ground-breaking research in theoretical physics, is all but forgotten.
He was the trailblazer who helped pave the way to the recently hailed discovery of the “God particle” — one of the greatest achievements in science for the last 100 years — but as the world went into overdrive, Pakistan stayed largely silent.
Not even boasting from India, whose late physicist Satyendra Nath Bose also contributed to the discovery, snapped Pakistan out of lethargy.
And the reason? Because in the eyes of the law, Salam was a heretic.
“Our people are not educated. They just know this is the house of Dr Salam, who was a scientist, and they, including me, are unaware of his contributions. They also know he was Ahmadi,” said local resident Kamran Kishwar, 23.
One of the most religiously polarised towns in Pakistan, Jhang, 188 miles southwest of Islamabad, is home to thousands of Ahmadis and tensions run high between the community and mainstream Muslims.
Ahmadis, were declared non-Muslims in 1974 as part of Islamisation.
In 1984, they were banned from calling themselves Muslim. They are banned from preaching and even from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. Their publications are prohibited.
Ahmadi mosques have been shut down. Others have reportedly been desecrated. In May 2010, suicide bombers killed 80 people at two mosques during Friday prayers.
Dashed dreams
Salam’s portrait hangs in his old school and he paid for a block to be built in his father’s name in the 1970s, but locals are still fighting to have any connotations with him wiped from the premises.
“Elements are still trying to remove Dr Salam’s name from the school,” said Rana Nadeem, an Ahmadi who lives near Salam’s house.
It wasn’t like that when Salam was born in 1926, under British rule. The entire town turned out to welcome him after he scored the highest marks ever to get into the University of the Punjab.
After a PhD at Cambridge, he returned home to teach and determined to set up a centre to encourage world-class science from the developing world.
But his dreams were dashed. Associates say ignorant bureaucrats rubbished his ideas and to pursue an international career he returned to Britain in 1954.
In 1957, he was made professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College, London and in 1964 set up the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste in an effort to advance scientific expertise in the developing world.
He continued to advise Pakistan on science and atomic energy, and was chief scientific adviser to the president from 1961-1974. But after the law changed in 1974, he found an increasingly hostile reception on visits home.
After winning the Nobel prize for physics in 1979 with American scientists Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Lee Glashow, he was banned from lecturing at public universities under pressure from right-wing students and religious conservatives.
‘Victim of narrow-mindedness’
On the other hand, he was given a rapturous welcome in Bangladesh and India.
“Dr Salam is a great hero and possibly the most famous Pakistani in the world but he became victim of the narrow-mindedness of our society,” says Hassan Amir Shah, head of the physics department at Government College, Lahore.
Even in 1989, the world’s first Muslim woman prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who herself knew prejudice, refused to meet him, recalls nuclear physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy.
“That day I was with Salam in his hotel in Islamabad and he had come all the way from Trieste. Salam was very disappointed when her personal assistant rang up to say the prime minister did not have the time,” he told AFP.
Although Salam’s achievements far outstrip those of A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb and a Muslim, it is he who is revered as a national hero, despite Khan’s alleged role in nuclear proliferation.
“Ninety-eight per cent of people in this country are Muslim but still they are insecure and intolerant to the two-per cent minority,” said Shah.
It took until 2000 for Government College to establish a physics chair in his name. The university has also named one of its halls after Salam.
Salam’s colleagues also wanted to get the National Centre for Physics in Islamabad named the Abdus Salam Centre for Physics, whose first director had been a PhD student of the Nobel laureate, but Hoodbhoy said the authorities refused.
The Ahmadiyya community certainly feels he was betrayed.
“Even after he was buried, local administration asked the Ahmadi community to remove the word ‘Muslim’ from the inscription on the grave which said ‘the first Muslim Nobel laureate’,” said Shah.
The word has been painted over, leaving just: “the first Nobel laureate.”
This is clearly a news to many residing in the sub-continent. Reading the article and then comments made us realise the gems that our neighbour has brought up in the field of science and technology. May their tribe prosper and those who call such eminent scientists heretics realise their follies.
Fundamentalist mind in Pakistan is advocating some thing which is so horrific , disgusting and has become a cause of non functioning system in Pakistan.— that is a verdict to kill anybody on the name of religion without remorse.
**Janey kab kon kisey mar they kafar keh kar
**Shehr ka Shehr Musliman Huwa Phirta hey
Injustice to one would spread epidemically to swallow the entire nation—and we are witness to that. It is true, "every section of the society is now suffering"
His contribution to humanity by scientific break through in theoretical physics should inspire every educated mind.
Had Qaid-e-azam been alive to see his services for the science and technology , Dr.Salam would had been the cheif scientist of Pakistan. Such was the stature of Dr. Salam and such was the vision of our founder.
Over the years the school curriculum (and to an extent the religiously biased nurture at home) have severly maligned the thought process of our people. The sickness is such that a non-educated and non-contributing muslim is enjoying more respect and say than someone who is extremly eduacted and far more contributive only because he/she is a non muslim or not considered muslim in a coventional sense.
I wonder what could be lower than this when we talk of moral pricipals and justice in society.
Irrespective of his ethnic belief's his achievement should be respected as a Pakistani.
I notice current situation in Pakistan in this article:
“Ninety-eight per cent of people in this country are Muslim but still they are insecure and intolerant to the two-per cent minority,”
We have to give up Corruption and lean toward Justice. Pakistan's problem will be solved.
I am a Pakistani christian and I love Pakistan. I am a math professor and I went to University of Karachi to pusue my degree. Pakistan is a nation that need a true guide…everyone is on his own. I truly believe that no Pakistani Muslim can ever hurt a Pakistani christian or any other minority. We are a string resilient nation who are trying to find a way to deal with the enemy and together we can overcome this challenge. Just by reading the posts here can make a sane human being understand that we Pakistanis had so much regard for this non Muslim Pakistani Dr. Abdus Salam…dont let our enemies win…let them teach this lesson that we Pakistani love our country and its citizen regardless of religion.
A country is bound to fail when their citizens gives priority to their religion over their country
Let me boast about Indian contribution to discovery of God's particle?
Satyendra Nath Bose , S Chandrasekhar ( born in Lahore in pre partition India) and Salam's associate…JOGESH PATI!!!
I feel so lucky and proud that I have the honor of meeting 2 greatest people of Pakistan. Abdus Salam and Sattar Edhi. I was in 9th grade (1989) when I met Dr Salam in his lab. It was a school trip. And I promised that when I will grew up, will do good work for science and country like he is doing. And 6 years back, I reached out to Sattar Edhi for an interview. And he talked to me and my friends for 60mins, recapping his life. WOW! thank you Dawn for reminding me those 2 days.
Great man …………………………………..love for all hatred for none
If we believe that the judgement lies with Allah on the day of judgement, then for God's sake leave one's faith alone and don't try to emulate God, and concentrate on what that person has done for humanity. No one should assume the right to declare someone heretic as this decision only and solely belongs to Allah. May Abdus Salam rest in peace and may our Creator enable us to appreciate his achievements by thinking beyond the boundaries of religious affiliations. If everything was based on religion, we could discredit all of the modern inventions as majority of them were invented by non-Muslims.
Dr. Abdus Salam is an icon and a national HERO. Preserve our OWN heritage, national honor and prestige by recognizing his contributions to Science. Who cares WHAT SECT he belonged to.
Shameful. A country with bigots living in it.
Having BIG BEARDS and talking around people's backs, is what this nation has reduced itself to. We have turned into a deeply corrupt society in which common man suffers. Please get rid of these Maulvis, Jageerdars, wadairas, khans, … who have dragged the entire nation at the verge of hell fire of destruction. Catastrophe looms and the society is doomed to fail one day and that day is coming soon unless we self-correct SOON.
Wake up now for God's sake.
Dr. Salam did for his country what his country did not do for him. For that he received the highest award of achievement. We Pakistanis have to sit down and think, once and for all, where we want to go. Reach the heights through self respect, honesty, sacrifice, hard work, sincerity, justice for all, etc. or stay the course of disaster and chaos. Wake up Pakistanis or there is NO LIGHT at the end of the tunnel.
Dr. Salam was no doubt a learned person. We should not involve religion into everything. Everything has certain boundaries.
What do one expect from a country and its people who have forgotten their hero/genious person because of his religious background. In todays time, if the founder Quaid-e-Azam was alive, surely he would have been called 'kafir' and put behind bars.
Albie, I fully agree with your comments.well I am too a Pakistani Christian and living in the UK ,country build on Christian Values in supporting other religions, reading each day of religious intolerance in Pakistan, I hate to say Pakistan is the worst country for anyone who's not Muslim. I am too Thankful for my lord Jesus Christ I am living In UK and pray for my fellow Christians that they too may get chance to leave the country and leave in peace.
My dear Friend! You are not a Pakistani Christian but a Pakistani. This is your land and you have to reclaim it from bigots who use religion to run their fiefdom.
What a Brain but wasted because of his beliefs.
He was not wasted, but he was for the world, not for few millions Pakistanis. If he did not leave the Pakistan then he had wasted his talent. Just look forward , there will be more discoveries on his theories.
His brain was not wasted; it was Pakistan that has been laid to waste by the bigots.
my dear brothers & sisters most important and precious thing in this world is EMAN WHAT IS EMAN? God is One and Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) is the last Prophet, without this Faith (IMAN) if you got 700 Noble Prizes after Death they will remain in this world (Purposeless) only Iman will accompany the human being after death, (Think about it)
Allah Umma Ihdinasiratul Mustakeem (thats why we receit this verse in every Rakat of Namaz
Is the kalima translated like this: we believe in one God, and Muhammmad Pbuh is the last prophet of god ?
So, what's the point. You have the freedom of your Iman and to live in peace after death. Will it be too much of me to ask of you to respect the beliefs of other and let them live in peace with honor in this world? By the way this world in not purposeless.
"Purposeless world".. height of cost and benefit analysis!
Dr. Sahib,
Just Faith does not make things right, one has to read, debate and think…. I am not sure how much of that was done when you placed this advise. Celebrating a Pakistanis achievement has nothing to do with faith or ISLAM or any other religious or religion… simply a Pakistani who brought honor to our country should and MUST be celebrated otherwise we are not a QOUM and would PERISH…
Your comments are shocking especially since you are a Dr. By the way if someone got 701 Nobels they would most certainly count….
I have observed that educate classes in Pakistan are more moderate, progressive, tolerant, peace loving whereas, semi/low educated from Madrissa , mullah effected, are more prejudice, extremists and narrow minded.
Education system in Pakistan has produced 3-4 classes and promoted sense of deprivation . In fact, this all was preplanned scheme by USA/military dictators/S.Arabia to promote sectarian based religious classes to counter Communism.
Results::: Pakistan nation as whole is facing the music today.
A great article and wonderful acceptance of Pakistanis for the Great Scientist. A great discussion about him , to be kept in a library..We all should be thankful to Dawn to provide us such a nice piece of work.
Words of the Head of Physics of Lahore Univ from above article – " Ninety-eight per cent of people in this country are Muslim but still they are insecure and intolerant to the two-per cent minority,”.
This is the root of the two nation theory. If they are insecure about 2 percent, they would be insecure about 52% hindus if partition had not taken place. The cure for insecurity is not in re-drawing borders, it is within. If Partition had not taken place, islam would today be numerically be at par with Hinduism in an undivided India. And since muslims vote together as compared to hindus, they would actually be in power. Hindus gained more through partition than muslims !
My Dear Sir,Muslim are not ready to offer prayers after one imam in India and Pakistan1..How could they have voted togather as one in combined India
I think you are right…thank god for partition!
@ansari
I have been on the faculty of Electronics/Physics at QAU during 1990's and we had the same tea room for Physics and Electronics Professors where we spend > an hour daily. For your information more than 60% faculty members in Physics Department were Ahmadi at that time and that may also be one of the contributions of A. Salam. Tell the truth man.
You have no proof of your provocative statement. It is people like you who create calculated resentment, distorting facts and triggering anger which can only end in harming innocents. Or, do I have to remind you that an Ahmadi faculty member of the same physics department to which you ostensibly belonged, was murdered on the QAU campus. Shame on you, man.
And what is your and your so called pure pakistani muslim's contribution towards electronics / physics reasearch ?? BIG ZERO. Be human first good or bad.
Mr. Abdul Salam was a good scientist, But remember, he used to believe in other prophet. A person with these values cant be reckoned as a Muslim. Those in this forum who are sympathizing him for not getting right protocol can blame the system of Pakistan who didn’t give him the right treatment but it had nothing to do with the Islam.
Islam always gives rights to the humankind and is a religion of peace. An act of individual cant be make symbol of all the Muslim community (as many of you are mentioning).
Waqas
Its not act of an individual its act of a nation as national assembly pass a resolution to declare him non Muslim and after that every institute / government in a MUSLIM Country breaching the rights of a Human.
Leave it what was his religion / beliefs treat him a PAKISTANI a true PAKISTANI who died as Pakistani and buried in his own soil. Why he is not given respect he deserve as PAKISTANI NOBEL LAUREATE???????? Thinks on this……………….
Pakistani Society is rigid and stubborn & our mindset is as if we are in stone age. Dr Abdus Salam was the greatest intellectual ever born in Pakistan but because of his religion he was not given the homage. Being a student I salute Dr. Abdus Salam from the core of my heart. People like him are jewels of nations!